Pro-Government Militias
Death Squads (Cote d'Ivoire)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | yes |
| PGM ID Number: | 46 |
| Country: | Cote d'Ivoire |
| Date formed: | Sept. 19, 2002 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | month |
| Details of Formation: | Death squads are mentioned for the first time during the coup attempt in September 2002. |
| Date dissolved: | April 11, 2011 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | The militia ceases to be a PGM with the installment of Ouattara as president in 2011. There is no more information on whether the death squad was fully demobilized and terminated. |
| 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? | no information |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| 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?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | unclear |
| Government Link(s): | person/minister |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; security forces; mercenary; foreign nationals |
| Primary Membership: | ethnic |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Abidjan |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | civilians; immigrants; unarmed political opposition, government critics; ethnic group; international peacekeeping force; foreigners; journalists |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious leader(s); intimidation of ethnic/religious groups; intimidation of civilians; intimidate political opposition |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | Baule (Akan) (Cote d'Ivoire); Other Akans (Cote d'Ivoire); Northerners (Mande and Voltaic/Gur) (Cote d'Ivoire) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | inferred |
| Ethnic Membership: | Kru (Cote d'Ivoire) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | inferred |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | Ethnic membership Bete like President, which is a subgroup of Kru; ethnic target coded according to Gbagbo's opponents. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The PGM was set up to target political opposition, such as activists, supporters or politicians. Militiamen raided homes of opponents or attacked them during protests. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The militia attacked homes of people in favour of Alassane Ouattara and opposition protesters. Politicians and businessmen listed on the militia’s “killing lists” were targeted. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | kidnapping/abductions; killing; sexual violence |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | yes |
| Reasons for Membership: | Liberian mercenaries were hired. There is no specific information on whether the militiamen joined due to political commitment, ethnic loyalty or payment. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: | No information. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | Although the militia was accused of receiving weapons from former President Gbagbo, they were reported to strategically raid UN personnel’s houses in search of weapons. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | No clear command structure can be identified, but they often carry out joint missions with the regular armed forces. Gbagbo’s wife is said to have directed operations of death squads. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.