Pro-Government Militias
Weyane Militia/ TPLF Militia/ Tigray People's Liberation Front Militia (Ethiopia)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 561 |
| Country: | Ethiopia |
| Date formed: | June 1, 2007 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | The group was set up by the TPLF in a counterinsurgency campaign in Ogaden to fight the ONLF and to forcefully resettle Ethiopian civilians. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | not terminated |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| 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: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | unclear | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | political party |
| If link to party, name of party: | Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government; plunder and loot |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | unclear |
| Primary Membership: | local |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Ogaden |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | civilians; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; ethnic group |
| Purpose(s): | intelligence gathering; intimidation of civilians; fight insurgents |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | given |
| 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: | Leaders of a revolt within the militia have been arrested. A climate of fear and insecurity is created in Ogaden (southeastern Ethiopia). |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The government’s objective for using the Weyane Militia is to centralise the Ethiopian population via resettlements, targeting the Ogaden population (southeastern Ethiopia). Another objective is to fight ONLF (Ogaden National Liberation Front) fighters. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The militia has been accused of multiple acts of violence against civilians, especially in Ogaden, such as shooting at peaceful protesters, arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, rape, plunder and looting. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing; sexual violence |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | yes |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | Benefits of membership include the permission to loot the local population. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
Organisation
| Organisation: | It is not clear how the government exercised control and it appears that it was not always successful in doing so, indicated by the fact that there were revolts within the weyane militias, to which the government responded by arresting rebelling militia leaders. It was stated that the government lost control over the militia, failing to discipline its members. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.