Pro-Government Militias
Malaita Eagle Force (Solomon Islands)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 129 |
| Country: | Solomon Islands |
| Date formed: | June 5, 2000 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | day |
| Details of Formation: | As a result of coup in 2000 and militia leader becoming member of gov 2001 until Australian intervention and disarmament in August 2003 |
| Date dissolved: | Aug. 15, 2003 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | Joint operation with a faction of the police (cf. Seagulls pgag) to affect a coup in 2000. Turned in guns following Australian brokered peace deal, thus became non-armed. |
| Termination Type(s): | disarmed |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no information |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | person/minister; state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | unclear |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government; crime |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic |
| Primary Membership: | ethnic |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Guadalcanal, Honiara |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | ethnic group; journalists |
| Purpose(s): | protect property and investment; self-defense and security; intimidation of ethnic/religious groups |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | During the late 1990s and early 2000s, tensions between the Malaitans and Guales began to erupt. The militia was created to defend Malaitans and their property in Guadalcanal. (Wikipedia) |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The militia attacked civilians to threaten and extort money from them. In addition, they attacked journalists who reported on human rights abuses committed by the militia. (Amnesty 2000) |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no |
| PGM Members Paid? | yes |
| Reasons for Membership: | Members were Malaitans who joined the militia because of their ethnic loyalty. |
| PGM Members Killed? | never |
PGM Size
| Size: | No information. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | In 2003, a disarmament campaign began, and the militia handed in 99 weapons. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The MEF carried out joint operations with the police forces. In 2001, the militia’s leader Alex Bartlett became the country’s foreign minister after the militia staged a coup in 2000. In 2003, the Townsville Agreement officially disbanded the group. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.