| Country: | Liberia |
| Details of Formation: | The group was formed in 2000 as part of the government's attempt to suppress the LURD rebel group. |
| Details of Termination: | The group ceased to be pro-government with the resignation of Taylor in August 2003 and was subsequently disarmed. |
| Purpose: | The group fought rebels from Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and recruited others to join them. The PGM was used by Taylor as a means to intimidate the population and to maintain his power. |
| Organisation: | The government failed to effectively control the militias, e.g. indicated by a failure of Taylor to stop looting. It appears that members mainly responded to orders by the president himself and displayed mistrust in other politicians. |
| Weapons and Training: | The group’s weapons have been described as dangerous and they were reported to be heavily armed, e.g. with mortars, rifles, bombs and ammunitions. |
| Size: | -- |
| Reason for Membership: | Members looted the population and self-enrichment as well as revenge based on ethnic grounds have been reported as objectives for members. It has been stated that at least some members, especially child soldiers, were forced to join. According to news sources, payment was erratic and members accused politicians of taking away their payment. |
| Treatment of Civilians: | The militia used violence against civilians and has been accused of committing war crimes. It executed civilians, killed those who resisted compulsory enlistment, raped women and children, subjected civilians to forced labour, restricted peoples’ movement and used child combatants. Other crimes included looting, which Taylor tried, but failed to, prohibit by threatening punishment, when it occurred even after rebels had been driven out of towns. |
| Other Information: | Groups like Navy Command militia, the Jungle Lions militia , Special Safety Unit, National Board of Investigation, Demus Forces, Special Operation Division, Presidential Guards, Special Investigative Unit of the National Security Agency, stand-by unit are mentioned but not in any detail are included in operations coded under this title. Loyal to Taylor but see other politicians as pocketing the pay that the militiamen see as rightfully belonging to them. Some groups work privately in addition to their loyalty to Taylor, e.g. charging protection money from local hospitals. Many militiamen believe in black magic and fight in costumes, i.e. wigs/feathers/amulets believing that this will protect them from bullets. |
| References: | Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD. |