Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Siliwangi Youth (Indonesia)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 331
Country: Indonesia
Date formed: Jan. 1, 1970
    Accuracy of date formed: decade
Details of Formation: Ali Murtopo established the group in the 1970s and it was subsequently co-opted by the government. It functions as one of the Golkar party’s youth wings.
Date dissolved: Unknown
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: No activities reported 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
    Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: none

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation: informal (type 1)
Created by the Government?: yes
    Main Creating Government Institution: military
Government Link(s): political party; military (institution)
    If link to party, name of party: Golkar (Party of the Functional Groups)
Training and Equipment: yes
Shared Information and Joint Operations: yes
Shared Personnel: no
Type(s) of Material Support: no information
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: ideology; adolescents
Primary Membership: political
Alternative Primary Membership: ideological
Location: Java
Force Strength: [unknown, unknown]
Target(s): unarmed political opposition, government critics; students
Purpose(s): intimidation of civilians

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: The last reported activity of the group was its announcement to support a Governor in 2008 elections. Its full name is Angkatan Muda Siliwangi.

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The group was mainly used to provoke riots, counter protests and to intimidate political opposition. It also generally supported the Golkar party.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use unknown

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: The group behaved violently toward protestors and political opponents.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: unknown

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no information
PGM Members Paid? no information
Reasons for Membership: Political and ideological components are reported as the basis of the group, therefore these ideological incentives could have been a motivation to join the group.
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size:

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: The group is described as trained and armed, in one instance with bayonets. There are no other details reported about where either came from.

Organisation

Organisation: Siliwangi Youth was linked to the military and under the authority of the local army command of the 3rd Military Region. There were also links to the Golkar party, which the PGM supported.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.

Evidence