Pro-Government Militias
White Legion (Georgia)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 164 |
| Country: | Georgia |
| Date formed: | Dec. 9, 1996 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | The White Legion’s origin is disputed. A news source mentions that the White Legion was already active during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in the early 1990s, while the UCDP dates the creation after the official ending of the fighting in 1993 (UCDP Forest Brothers, White Legion). Another news source mentions 1996 as the date the PGM started to function. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | The White Legion was reported to have broken up after the Rose Revolution (2003) because of the stop of financial support of the Abkhaz Government in Exile (UCDP Forest Brothers, White Legion). In 2005 and 2007 news sources speak of the group to restart its operations or to be created again; however, activities of the White Legion have also been reported in 2004 until 2007. There is no report of activities after 2007. |
| Termination Type(s): | none |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| 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 information | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no information |
| Shared Personnel: | yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government; plunder and loot; crime |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; former rebels |
| Primary Membership: | nationalist |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Gali District, Abkhaz border area, Kodori Valley |
| Force Strength: | [150, 500] |
| Target(s): | unarmed political opposition, government critics; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; ethnic group; regular military force; international peacekeeping force |
| Purpose(s): | protect national borders and integrity; self-defense and security |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | Abkhazians (Georgia); Russians (Georgia) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | given |
| Ethnic Membership: | Georgians (Georgia) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The White Legion was closely linked to the Forest Brothers PGM (UCDP Forest Brothers, White Legion). Its main targets were Russian peacekeepers, which they accused of protecting Abkhaz separatist forces. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The main purpose of the White Legion was to destabilize Abkhazia and disturb the Abkhaz authorities in their efforts to consolidate a de-facto regime. This purpose was in line with the objectives of the Georgian central government and the Abkhaz exile government, which wanted to regain control over Abkhazia (UCDP Forest Brothers, White Legion). The White Legion was actively pursuing their purpose by engaging in a low-intensity guerilla war in Abkhazia (Wikipedia). |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | local presence |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | A news source of 2006 reports that the White Legion had taken hostage a local Abkhaz. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | kidnapping/abductions |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | Many members of the White Legion are Georgian refugees from Abkhazia that gave up hope of a successful negotiated settlement to the conflict. |
| PGM Members Killed? | rarely |
PGM Size
| Size: | At the end of the 1990s the White Legion had around 150-200 men (UCDP Forest Brothers, White Legion). A news source of 2007 mentions 300-500 fighters. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The White Legion had bombs, mines, rockets and snipers, as well as a large number of small arms and light weapons, including Kalashnikovs, grenade launchers and machine guns (UCDP Forest Brothers and White Legion – Republic of Abkhazia). There have been allegations that the Georgian government supplied arms. Western diplomats said that the Georgian interior ministry trained and equipped the White Legion. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The White Legion was led by Zurab Samushia. It received support from the Executive Council of the Abkhaz Government in Exile, which in turn was subsidized by the Georgian central government. However, with time the government lost control over the group and the White Legion focused increasingly on crime and smuggling (UCDP Forest Brothers, White Legion). The group allegedly had close ties to the Georgian Defense Ministry and support of the Interior ministry, the Secret Service and President Shevardnadze. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.