Pro-Government Militias
Youth League (Lesotho)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 31 |
| Country: | Lesotho |
| Date formed: | Jan. 1, 1984 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | day |
| Details of Formation: | created by the ruling Basutho National Party of Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan |
| Date dissolved: | Jan. 20, 1986 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | Terminated with military coup that ended two decades of increasingly autocratic rule by this tiny nation's Prime Minister, Chief Leabua Jonathan, to whom this group was loyal to. |
| Termination Type(s): | none |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no information |
| Former Armed Group? | no information |
| Former Rebel Group? | no information |
| 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): | person/minister; political party |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no information |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | no information |
| State Sponsor(s): | Korea North |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | adolescents |
| Primary Membership: | other |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Maseru, Lithabaneng suburb (3miles south of Maseru) |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | unarmed political opposition, government critics; regular military force |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious leader(s) |
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: | Trained by North Korea |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The militia was a militant wing of the Basotho National Party and was used by the prime minister Chief Leabua Jonathan against the military and political opposition. In 1986, the military overthrew him in a coup. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | coup-proofing |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | Militia members tortured political opponents to secure prime minister Jonathan’s hold on to power. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | torture |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no |
| PGM Members Paid? | unclear |
| Reasons for Membership: | No information. |
| PGM Members Killed? | unclear |
PGM Size
| Size: | No information. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The militia was trained by North Koreans located in Lesotho. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The militia was aligned with the Basotho National Party. There is no information on its command structures. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.