Pro-Government Militias
Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) (Congo Kinshasa)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 430 |
| Country: | Congo Kinshasa |
| Date formed: | Jan. 1, 1998 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | In 1998, the militia joined the Congolese military to fight against Rwanda in the Second Congo War. They are comprised of Hutus from Rwanda that fled to the DRC after the genocide. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | The Congolese government withdrew support for FDLR in 2002 and expelled FDLR fighters from Congo. However, in 2007 sources report that the Congolese government re-allied itself with FDLR in order to fight against a Tutsi rebel militia in the Kivu Province. In 2009 the Rwandan and Congolese government are reported to work together against the FDLR, although in the same year the Congolese government agreed to integrate the FDLR into its regular forces. Reports of activities with support from the official armed forces in 2013 and 2014. |
| Termination Type(s): | none |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | 1128 |
| 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 | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government; plunder and loot |
| State Sponsor(s): | Tanzania |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; children; foreign nationals |
| Primary Membership: | ethnic |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Kivu |
| Force Strength: | [3000, 75000] |
| Target(s): | rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; regular military force |
| Purpose(s): | self-defense and security; destabilise neighbouring countries; fight insurgents |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | Tutsi (Rwanda) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | given |
| Ethnic Membership: | Hutu (Rwanda) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | Tutsi (Rwanda) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | given |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The militia is reported to be pro-government between Jan 1998-July 2002, Sept 2007-Dec 2008, and since July 2013. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The government aligned with the group to carry out more effective military operations due to weaknesses of the Congolese Armed Forces. The militia was used to fight against the Rwandan military and rebels during and after the Second Congo War. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | deniability of violence |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The militia mainly focuses its attacks on the Kivu province. There they have carried out multiple attacks in villages. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | yes |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | Members of the militia are ethnically motivated. |
| PGM Members Killed? | never |
PGM Size
| Size: | Over time the militia grew smaller in size. While in 2009 the militia was comprised of 6,000 fighters, the number decreased to 3,000 in 2010. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The Congolese government supplies the militia with weapons and ammunition. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The group is divided into FOCA, which is active in South Kivu, and RUD-Urunana , which is active in Lubero, North Kivu |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.