The 'Bokkie' Crew (Sierra Leone)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: |
yes
|
| PGM ID Number: |
76
|
| Country: |
Sierra Leone |
| Date formed: |
July 26, 1998 |
| Accuracy of date formed: |
year
|
| Details of Formation: |
The ‘Bokkie’ Crew is a group of mercenaries who flew a MI-17 helicopter and assisted ECOMOG and the Kabbah government in defending Freetown in 1999. |
| Date dissolved: |
Dec. 1, 2006 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: |
month
|
| Details of Termination: |
The last report on the crew is in 2003. There is no evidence when or why they were disbanded. |
| Termination Type(s): |
unclear
|
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): |
none
|
| Successor group(s): |
none
|
| Private Military Company? |
yes |
| Former Group? |
no information |
| Former Armed Group? |
no information |
| Former Rebel Group? |
no information |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? |
no information |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: |
none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: |
informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: |
no information |
Main Creating Government Institution: |
none
|
| Government Link(s): |
state (institution)
|
| If link to party, name of party: |
|
| Training and Equipment: |
no |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: |
yes |
| Shared Personnel: |
no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: |
domestic government
|
| State Sponsor(s): |
none
|
| Other Connection(s): |
|
Group Characteristics
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
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: |
The ‘Bokkie’ Crew resupplied soldiers and gave the Sierra Leonean army support from the air by flying an MI-17. They succeeded in turning RUF rebels away from Freetown. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use |
knowledge
|
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: |
Between seven and nine people were killed when the ‘Bokkie’ Crew fired into the centre of a town. Evidently, the group did not intentionally target civilians but nevertheless accepted harming them while carrying out their task of fighting rebels. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: |
killing
|
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? |
no |
| PGM Members Paid? |
yes |
| Reasons for Membership: |
The group was hired and payed to provide their services. |
| PGM Members Killed? |
never |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Reports suggest that a group of three were deployed to operate the MI-17 helicopter. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
As the group consisted of hired mercenaries, they did not receive weapons and training from the government. They provided support by flying an MI-17 helicopter. |
Organisation
| Organisation: |
As the group are hired mercenaries, they are bound by a contract. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD
Evidence
