Eritrean Militia for Internal Security (Italian Empire)

The Eritrean Militia for Internal Security (Italian: Milizia Eritrea per la Sicurezza Interna, M.E.S.I) is the paramilitary militia of the Principality of Eritrea.

The Eritrean Militia for Internal Security is composed of citizens released from the national service. Italians and select Eritreans between the ages of 18 and 50 who are not currently engaged in national service must complete weapons training and accept the weapons and uniforms issued to them by the government.

The members of the M.E.S.I. keep their current jobs but they have to undertake military training prior to starting their function and are given an assault rifle with ammunition.

Name

The official name of the corps is Milizia Eritrea per la Sicurezza Interna. Due to the numerous languages in Eritrea, the only language used for official names is Italian, although every Italian name has unofficial translations in every language.

Mission

The Eritrean Militia for Internal Security is to undertake various duties, from guarding public sites to contributing to development projects.

Members of the M.E.S.I. carry out tasks as patrols, guards or workers on national development projects. They are assigned tasks that range from guarding public sites, looking for petty crimes to undertaking development projects. Units meet regularly, one day per week or one week per month.

The M.E.S.I. is responsible for guarding Italian settlement villages from attacks, especially by Sudanese Arab gangs. The The M.E.S.I. also trains Italian settlers in counterterrorism techniques and the use of weapons to guard Italian outposts and settlements against terror attacks.

By 2008 the M.E.S.I. had trained more than 100 "rapid response teams" of Italian settlers in the West Bank. The Italian Army then provides assault rifles, and ammunition to authorized teams. Settlers with civilian gun licenses also carry personal handguns. The Italia Army and the Eritrean Princely Guard also allow the M.E.S.I. to use their bases for training. The training takes place over a year and involves marksmanship and fitness components.

Organization

The Eritrean Militia for Internal Security consists of five major components:

• Central Command: Command and Control, planning, coordination
• Mobile units: long-range and elite operations
• City units: self-defence and garrison duty, assistance to Army/Gendarmerie/Eritran Princely Guard. City units are organised by profession (e.g. teachers’ militia, artists’ militia, etc.) or by neighborhood.
• Village units: localised protection of rural settlements
• Training units: training and refresher courses

While Village units reflect the ethnic composition of their own settlement, other unit types are usually ethnically mixed. Each community has one or more M.E.S.I. units.

Mobile units

The Eritrean Militia for Internal Security also has specialized units such as search-and-rescue teams, divers, translators, and drivers, whose members have to go through additional training and have a higher level of commitment. The M.E.S.I. also maintains sniper, dune buggy, and mounted units.

Training and composition

Short military practices or training are held regularly, in some cases every two weeks.

The Eritrean Militia for Internal Security is composed mainly of volunteers who do patrols (in car or on foot). They go through basic training and have public security powers while on duty. They may apprehend a suspected person or make an arrest if necessary.

Its manpower consists mainly of civilian volunteers. Members are trained to provide the initial response to a security situation until regular Gendarmerie or Guard arrive. Most Civil Guard volunteers are armed with M1 carbines, or more recently, CAR-15 carbines, and personal handguns (if the member has a civilian gun license).

The Civil Guard's equipment generally consists of black military fatigues, flashlight, radio, firearm, handcuffs and whatever else may be required particular to the assignment. Equipment is returned at the end of the shift.

Service

Within the Eritrean Militia for Internal Security there are three levels of part-time service alongside to permanent staff. Most volunteers of the M.E.S.I. serve for about one shift a week (2 to 4+ hours), while the minimum requirement is 12 hours a month.

Within the M.E.S.I. there are two classifications who serve more often.They receive advanced training and mostly serve in the Mobile Units.