Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

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

Check PGMD for evidence.

Evidence