Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

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

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.

Evidence