Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Ninjas (Congo Brazzaville)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 57
Country: Congo Brazzaville
Date formed: Sept. 8, 1997
    Accuracy of date formed: day
Details of Formation: The militia was created in the early 1990s by former Prime Minister Kolélas. Ahead of the multi-party elections in 1992, Kolélas, Nguesso and Lissouba formed their own militias to target rivals with Kolélas trying to be a neutral mediator between Lissouba and Nguesso. Until 1997, the Ninjas fought against Lissouba’s troops and became pro-government in September 1997 when Kolélas became Prime Minister in Lissouba’s cabinet. (Wikipedia)
Date dissolved: Oct. 24, 1997
    Accuracy of date dissolved: month
Details of Termination: In October 1997, Nguesso regained power and declared himself president. Thus, the Ninja militia ceased to be pro-government and became a rebel group. There are reports of militia activity after 1997 until 2008. (Wikipedia)
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? yes
    Former Armed Group? yes
Former Rebel Group? yes
    Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: 546
PGM Becomes Rebel Group? yes
    Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: 546

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation: informal (type 1)
Created by the Government?: no information
    Main Creating Government Institution: none
Government Link(s): person/minister; sub-national government
    If link to party, name of party: Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development
Training and Equipment: unclear
Shared Information and Joint Operations: unclear
Shared Personnel: unclear
Type(s) of Material Support: unclear
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: ethnic; unemployed; children
Primary Membership: ethnic
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: Brazzaville, Pool
Force Strength: [unknown, 4000]
Target(s): rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; ethnic group
Purpose(s): protect state, national or religious leader(s)

Ethnic Characteristics

Ethnic Target(s): Mbochi (proper) (Congo); Nibolek (Bembe etc.) (Congo)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: inferred
Ethnic Membership: Lari/Bakongo (Congo)
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: inferred
Ethnic Purpose: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: not applicable

Other Information

Other Information: Ethnic Target and Ethnic Membership: Ninjas fight for Kolela (Lari/Bakongo) and against Lissouba (Nibolek) in 1994. After agreement in 1995, Ninjas fight against Sassou-Nguesso (Mbochi).

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The militia was intended to secure Bernard Koléla's political power and to attack other rebel groups. Despite reports of Ninjas attacks against rebels and ethnic targets, the militia lost the 1997 conflict against Nguesso’s armed militia.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use unknown

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: The militia used indiscriminate violence against civilians including hostage-taking, torture and killings. Their violent behavior has led to an escalation of human rights abuses and the intrastate conflict. The Ninjas had lists of government dissidents whom they were supposed to attack (Wikipedia, US Bureau of Citizenship).
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: kidnapping/abductions; killing; torture

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no
PGM Members Paid? yes
Reasons for Membership: Militia members had strong religious and apocalyptic beliefs known as Matsouasnism, which enticed them to join. Members were of Lari/Bakongo ethnicity which created ethnic appeals. Children were reported to fight for the Ninjas. Members were usually under- or unemployed men who sought economic benefits from membership (Wikipedia, Themnér 2011, 49).
PGM Members Killed? rarely

PGM Size

Size: The militia had 4,000 members.

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: The Ninjas received training in Brazzaville and were equipped with automatic rifles. However, Bazenguissa-Ganga notes that the Ninja militia also lacked weapons during training sessions (1999, 43).

Organisation

Organisation: The Ninjas were led by Bernard Kolélas who became Prime Minister in September 1997. The militia created an alliance with Lissouba’s Cocoye militia called Mouvement National pour la Liberation du Congo (MNLC). Their field commander was Frédéric Bintsangou, a cult leader.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Bazenguissa-Ganga, Rémy. 1999. "The spread of political violence in Congo-Brazzaville." African Affairs 98(390): 37-54.

Themnér, Anders. 2011. Violence in post-conflict societies: Remarginalization, remobilizers and relationships. London: Routledge.

United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2000. Republic of Congo (Brazzaville): Information on the human rights situation and the Ninja militia, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3dedffab4.html [accessed 14 March 2019]

Wikipedia. “Ninja (Militia)”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_(militia)

Evidence