Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Mahidi (Indonesia)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 338
Country: Indonesia
Date formed: Dec. 15, 1998
    Accuracy of date formed: month
Details of Formation: The original idea was to set up an unarmed militia to provide security for the parliamentary election in the upcoming year. However, it turned out that the group was formed by the military to allegedly defend villages from guerrillas. It is unclear if Mahidi was armed from the beginning but it was definitely armed by the end of December 1999. It was used as a pro-integration militia that received training and weapons from the army.
Date dissolved: Dec. 15, 1999
    Accuracy of date dissolved: month
Details of Termination: Mahidi was officially terminated by the army in December 1999, but it continued to be active in the West Timor refugee camps (It is unclear if the group was then still armed and it was no longer with the military). In November 2000 the group returns to East Timor to be 'reconciled' with the new East Timor leadership. The PGM subsequently discloses the names of military officials who ordered the violence.
Termination Type(s): government defects

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): military (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: military
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: ideology; village/rural; adolescents
Primary Membership: local
Alternative Primary Membership: nationalist
Location: Ainaro (East Timor), Zumalai (Covalima district), Maubara
Force Strength: [1000, 7000]
Target(s): civilians; unarmed political opposition, government critics; students
Purpose(s): protect national borders and integrity; intimidation of ethnic/religious groups; 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: East Timorese (Indonesia)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: given

Other Information

Other Information: While one source claims that the group has over 7000 members, the actual number appears to be much lower. Most sources refer to a size of around 2000 members. Apparently, the group’s members also took drugs before committing violence. The militia’s name means “Live or Die with Indonesia”/“Dead or Alive for Integration”/”Dead or Alive”/”Live or Die for Integration”.

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The pro-integration group was used to perpetrate attacks on independence supporters and officially to provide security in the parliamentary elections in June 1999 and for defence against guerilla attacks. It also controlled East Timorese refugees.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use unknown

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: The group was involved in a church massacre of civilians in Suai on 6 September 1999, which resulted in the deaths of 27 to 200 people, as well as other attacks on civilians, causing them to flee from their homes. Civilians were killed as targets and collateral damage in anti-independence operations by the group. The PGM detained and coerced people, killing them if they did not comply with their demands, and forced them to go to West Timor. It burned down homes and controlled refugees.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: killing

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no
PGM Members Paid? no information
Reasons for Membership: One member reports that they joined because other youth became members as well.
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size: When it was formed in December 1998 the group had about 1,000 to 2,000 members. Later sources report that the group claimed to have had 7,000 members in July 1999.

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: The group was armed by the military with guns and M-16 automatic rifles. It was also trained by the military.

Organisation

Organisation: The group had links to the military and cooperated with it in operations. There were also financial and material links to the army’s special forces, Kopassus. It was led by Cancio Lopes de Carvalho.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Amnesty International. 2009. “Public Statement. Timor-Leste: Failure to prosecute indicted militia leader reinforces urgent need for an international tribunal.” AI Index: 57/002/2009. 4 September.

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.

Evidence