Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Civil Guard (Congo Kinshasa)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 414
Country: Congo Kinshasa
Date formed: Aug. 28, 1984
    Accuracy of date formed: day
Details of Formation: The PGM was set up by President Mobutu as an elite unit to control public order and to protect himself. It was also intended to combat rebel groups that might threaten Mobutu’s power.
Date dissolved: May 19, 1997
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: In April 1997, a source reports that the Special Presidential Division and the Civil Guard should be disbanded. Eventually, the group was terminated when Mobutu was ousted from power.
Termination Type(s): change in government

Former and Successor Group Information

Predecessor group(s): none
Successor group(s): none
Private Military Company? no
Former Group? no
    Former Armed Group? NA
Former Rebel Group? NA
    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): person/minister
    If link to party, name of party:
Training and Equipment: yes
Shared Information and Joint Operations: yes
Shared Personnel: no information
Type(s) of Material Support: domestic government
State Sponsor(s): Germany
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: ethnic
Primary Membership: no information
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: Nationwide
Force Strength: [1000, 20000]
Target(s): unarmed political opposition, government critics
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: Ngbandi (DRC)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: inferred
Ethnic Purpose: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: not applicable

Other Information

Other Information:

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The group was supposed to restore public order and to patrol the whole country.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use coup-proofing

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: The militia used tanks to break up groups of anti-Mobutu protesters and sometimes killed protesters.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: killing

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no information
PGM Members Paid? yes
Reasons for Membership: There is no information on why members joined the militia.
PGM Members Killed? never

PGM Size

Size: Sources report that the militia has 1,000 to 20,000 members.

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: The militia members received training from France, Belgium, China, Egypt and South Africa, especially by military personnel from Germany. They have access to firearms and use armoured personnel carriers.

Organisation

Organisation: The group is led by Baramoto Kpama, Mobutu's brother-in-law. It has direct ties to President Mobutu, not to the Defense Ministry. Despite its close ties to the government, it is distinct from the Armed Forces (Wikipedia).

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Wikipedia. “Special Presidential Division”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Presidential_Division

Evidence