Pro-Government Militias
People's Militia/ Regional Militia/ Zonal Militia/ Territorial Peoples' Militia/ Territorial Militias/ Peasant Militia (Ethiopia)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 188 |
| Country: | Ethiopia |
| Date formed: | July 1, 1976 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | month |
| Details of Formation: | The militia was formed by the government under Mengistu, the implementation being in the hands of the Provisional Military Administrative Council (PMAC, better known as the “Derg”), and was intended to function as a popular defence force. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | not terminated |
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 |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | person/minister |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government; plunder and loot |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; village/rural; peasants |
| Primary Membership: | local |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | See 'other' |
| Force Strength: | [150000, 200000] |
| Target(s): | civilians; criminals; unarmed political opposition, government critics; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; journalists |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; protect national borders and integrity; self-defense and security |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | Amhara (Ethiopia) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The group is also financially supported by local community and local government; Location of operations: Eritrea [then the most Northern province of Ethiopia], Northern Gonder [North-western Ethiopia], Southern Gonder [North-Western Ethiopia],Northern Shewa [Central Ethiopia], Oromo [Western Ethiopia], Welega [Western Ethiopia], Welo [Northern Ethiopia] Nominating committees set up by urban dwellers associations (kebeles) were charged with finding recruits to fill the ranks of both the regular army and people's militia in their district. Alongside the army, the militia also played a role in the border conflict with Eritrea. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | According to the government, the main purposes of the Peoples’ Militia when it was formed were providing security, defence and border protection. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The militia was responsible for illegal detentions, torture, rape and extrajudicial killings. According to news reports, it forced the recruitment of young people, arrested people who resisted this, and looted their property. In one instance it was reported that the militia carried out a bomb attack on civilians and in another that they burned down a village. The Peoples’ Militia took part in fighting rebels and its main targets were political opponents. The government tolerated this behaviour, giving the militia permission to loot peoples’ property, commit robberies and other, more extreme acts of violence against civilians. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing; torture; sexual violence |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | unclear |
| PGM Members Paid? | unclear |
| Reasons for Membership: | One news source reports that the militia tried to force young people to fight in the war. However, it is not clear whether it wanted them to join their own militia or the army, though the two worked closely together. Information on whether members were paid is contradictory, some sources stating that they received food while others say that they were financially compensated and protested when the government failed to pay them. Members were also permitted to loot people’s property. Ethnic membership may be inferred from the dominant faction in government. Nominating committees set up by urban dwellers associations (kebeles) were charged with finding recruits to fill the ranks of both the regular army and people's militia in their district. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | Members were trained and armed by the government, though there is no information on the types of weapons they were given. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | Government forces such as the army or the police worked closely together with the militia, which has been referred to as a division of the army itself. Examples include patrolling jointly with the police or fighting rebels and carrying out acts of violence against civilians with the military. News sources report that officials were directly in charge of the militia. The government provided financial support. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.