Pro-Government Militias

League/Committees for the Protection of the Revolution (LPR) (Tunisia)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder:	no
PGM ID Number:	479
Country:	Tunisia
Date formed:	Nov. 22, 2011
Accuracy of date formed:	day
Details of Formation:	The date of formation is the date of the first session of the constitutional assembly, after the elections in 2011 in which Ennahda became the strongest party in the coalition government. The group was formed during the Jasmine Revolution that started in December 2010 in order to protect neighborhoods due to the chaotic situation. The first evidence of the LPR being active under Ennahda rule was in July 2012.
Date dissolved:	March 1, 2013
Accuracy of date dissolved:	month
Details of Termination:	President Moncef Marzouki called for disbanding The League in early 2013 and condemned the actions of the group. Leaders of the Ennahda argued that it was a civil society group and should also act like one, thus should not use violence. Parts of the organization on the local level dissolved in 2013. The League was judicially suspended and dissolved in 2014.
Termination Type(s):	government defects

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?	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:	semi-official (type 2)
Created by the Government?:	no
Main Creating Government Institution:	none
Government Link(s):	political party
If link to party, name of party:	Ennahda
Training and Equipment:	no information
Shared Information and Joint Operations:	no information
Shared Personnel:	no information
Type(s) of Material Support:	no information
State Sponsor(s):	none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership:	no information
Primary Membership:	no information
Alternative Primary Membership:	no information
Location:	Tunis, Tataouine and Sidi Bouzaid
Force Strength:	[unknown, unknown]
Target(s):	unarmed political opposition, government critics; journalists
Purpose(s):	intimidate political opposition

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:	none
Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose:	not applicable

Other Information

Other Information:

The PGM is sometimes also called Committees for the Protection of the Revolution (CPPR). Based on the description it is just a synonym and not a different group.

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose:	Initially, the committees were established as neighborhood watches to act against president’s Ali militias during the political revolution. Later, they were closely allied with the Ennahda party and targeted their political opposition.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use	deniability of violence

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians:	Militiamen injured protesters from workers’ unions but were also involved in targeting suspected non-Muslims. In addition, one source reports on attacks on journalists.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians:	unknown

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced?	no information
PGM Members Paid?	no information
Reasons for Membership:	Many committee members were also members of the Ennahda party.
PGM Members Killed?	no information

PGM Size

Size:

No information.

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: