Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Gurkha Reserve Unit (Brunei)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 6
Country: Brunei
Date formed: Jan. 1, 1984
    Accuracy of date formed: day
Details of Formation: The Gurkha Reserve Unit was formed in 1974 (Wikipedia). Since Brunei was a British Protectorate until 1 Jan 1984, 1984 is used as the PGM’s start date.
Date dissolved: Aug. 1, 1997
    Accuracy of date dissolved: month
Details of Termination: In 1997, Brunei disarmed the Gurkha Reserve Unit for disciplinary reasons after Gurkha members had protested against their former British commanders. The Gurkha Reserve Unit continued to exist and provided security to infrastructure and assistance to the police and other government agencies. There is no evidence that they were rearmed.
Termination Type(s): disarmed

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): person/minister
    If link to party, name of party:
Training and Equipment: no
Shared Information and Joint Operations: no
Shared Personnel: no information
Type(s) of Material Support: domestic government
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: ex soldiers; foreign nationals
Primary Membership: noncivilian
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location:
Force Strength: [unknown, 2000]
Target(s): no information
Purpose(s): protect state, national or religious institutions; protect state, national or religious leader(s)

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 Gurkha Reserve Unit (Malay: Unit Simpanan Gurkha) is a special elite guard (Wikipedia). It is commonly known as “the Praetorian Guard”. Members are Nepalese Gurkhas recruited by Brunei after their service in the British army.

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The Gurkha Reserve unit’s purpose was to protect the sultan and the Royal Family, as well as major oil installations (Wikipedia). According to a news source, the fact that the personal safety of the Sultan is entrusted to the Gurkha is considered a hint that the sultan does not trust the loyalty of his own armed forces.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use coup-proofing

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians:
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: unknown

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no information
PGM Members Paid? yes
Reasons for Membership: Members are recruited by the Sultan. They are well paid and housed.
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size: The Gurkha Reserve Unit had around 2,000 members in 1997 and maintained that number (Wikipedia).

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training:

Organisation

Organisation: The Gurkha Reserve Unit works under the command of the Sultan and is subordinate to the Security and Defence Section of the Brunei Ministry of Home Affairs (Wikipedia). A news source of 1984 says that they were commanded by retired British officers.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Wikipedia. “Gurkha Reserve Unit”. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gurkha_Reserve_Unit&oldid=738782847

Evidence