Pro-Government Militias

Young Pioneers (Malawi Congress Party) (Malawi)

Name assigned by coder:	no
PGM ID Number:	72
Country:	Malawi
Date formed:	Jan. 1, 1964
Details of Formation:	The Young Pioneers (MCP) were originally the youth organisation of the ruling party which became a legally approved paramilitary organisation and national intelligence network in 1964/65.
Date dissolved:	Dec. 31, 1993
Details of Termination:	In 1993, the Young Pioneers (MCP) were disarmed by the Malawian army and many members fled to Renamo-controlled Mozambiqe. The legal status of the Young Pioneers (MCP) was abolished in the beginning of 1994. After President Banda lost the presidential election, the linkage to government authority ceased to exist.
Successor group(s):	none
Private Military Company?	no
Government Relation:	type2
Government Link(s):	person/minister
Training and Equipment	yes
Shared Information and Joint Operations	yes
Shared personnel	no information
Types of Material Support:	domestic government; plunder and loot; Foreign government
State Sponsor(s):	South Africa; Israel
Other Connection(s):
Membership:	adolescents; party activists; criminals
Location:	whole country and esp. Lilongwe (Capital) and Blantyre (largest city)
Force Strength:	[1000, 7000]
Target(s):	civilians; criminals; unarmed political opposition, government critics
Purpose(s):	protect state, national or religious leader(s); self-defense and security; destabilise neighbouring countries; intimidation of civilians
Other Information: