| Country: | Cote d'Ivoire |
| Details of Formation: | The group was created in 1990 as a student union to improve living conditions for university students. It was banned by the Bédié government. FESCI leadership had close links to Gbagbo and organied massive protests against his opponent already in 2000. FESCI was used to suppress political opposition. (Corey-Boulet) |
| Details of Termination: | After the arrest of former President Gbagbo and the installment of the Ouattara government in 2011, the organization ceases to be a pro-government militia. There is no information on disarmament of militia members and the group’s termination. |
| Purpose: | FESCI was used by the government to curb opposition among students and university staff. In 2006, they attacked a television station that had broadcast a statement by the teachers’ union announcing the boycott of examinations. |
| Organisation: | Guillaume Soro, who became prime minister of Côte d’Ivoire in 2007, was Secretary-General of the organization from 1995 to 1998. Charles Blé Goudé who founded the Alliance des jeunes patriotes pour le sursaut national ("Youth Alliance for National Survival") which FESCI is aligned to, was Secretary-General from 2001 to 2003. (Wikipedia) |
| Weapons and Training: | The militia used clubs, machetes and firearms when attacking its targets. There is no information on training. |
| Size: | No information. |
| Reason for Membership: | There is no evidence that FESCI members were coerced or paid to join the organization. FESCI was initially created as a student union to promote students’ and university staff’s interests, but it became more political when members also joined to promote a nationalist ideology. (Wikipedia) |
| Treatment of Civilians: | The militia used violence indiscriminately against political opposition among students and university staff. After the failed coup attempt in 2002, they also terrorized broader opposition forces and civilians who were not classified as political opposition. |
| Other Information: | -- |
| References: |
Wikipedia. “Student Federation of Côte d'Ivoire“ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_Federation_of_C%C3%B4te_d%27Ivoire Corey-Boulet, Robbie. 2015. "Nothing to Lose: Côte d’Ivoire’s Troubled Campus Politics." Institute of Current World Affairs, November 3. https://www.icwa.org/nothing-to-lose-cote-divoires-troubled-campus-politics/ |