Terorrist / liberation movement awards

[Bob]

I'm curious - are there any collectors here of awards given by non-governmental military organizations (I'll leave the terrorist / liberation movement distinction for a different thread) - e.g. RAF, IRA, PLO, FARC, Sendero Luminoso, etc.? Is there any knowledge of this captured anywhere? Do these organizations even provide orders/medals?

Driven a bit by curiosity here from reading a lot on RAF past couple of days.

Thanks

[Arthur R]

In 1996 the South African government instituted decorations and medals for members of the former Umkhonto weSizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army, collectively referred to as "non-statutory forces". They were awarded for services in those organisations between 1961 and 1994. Both sets of awards were based on those of the SA Defence Force, with which the two liberation armies had been merged to form the SA National Defence Force. Basic details available on http://www.geocities.com/militaf/lib.htm

[Taz]

Bob,

If you can put this into this catagory, Chechen separatists issue their own awards ("Chechen Republic of Ichkeria")

The Order of Schamil is awarded in two classes for example.

Regards Eddie

[Ed_Haynes]

Introducing the word "terrorist" makes this topic impossible to answer. There are already numerous threads on awards of States that practice(d) terrorism as a part of their national policy.

One person's "terrorist" is another's "patriot" or "fredom fighter".

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Gents

I believe there is a potential with such a topic as proposed to easily inflame peoples

passions and politics with such posts in connection to these items.

Would such a section be classed as giving legitimacy to these groups?

(even providing an opinion on yea or nay goes into the political

aspect as all these groups profess a political agenda to justify there existence.)

Most of these groups history is in the very recent past and there are no doubt

a lot of raw scar tissue out there with regards there actions.

And yes the I.R.A. (modern vintage) have been issuing medals to their combatant and non-combatants,

although I have to see a picture of one yet.

Kevin in Deva.

[Bob]

Intention of this thread is not to start a debate about whether a group is terrorist or liberation movement, right or wrong, etc. but purely to identify which of these non-governmental movements (which may by some be considered terrorists, liberationmovements, freedom fighters, etc.) have or do not have orders/medals and - ideally - to see if some people can post some. I hope the thread can stay focussed on the phalerestic part only, not the politics. There are other forums for that.

What triggered my question was the "free download" JOMSA which contains quite some info on these awards in Middle East. On a different note, it's been a pain for me sofar to try to become a member of OMSA...

Edited December 26, 2007 by Bob

[Ed_Haynes]

I agree with Kevin, this is a very dangerous and complex issue, one that easily inflames passions. One of our able members and a frequent contributor to the JOMSA received mountains of abuse (and some resignations from the society) by his publication in the JOMSA of a very nice piece on Palestinian awards.

I hope we don't have to drop the question, but introducing the "T-word" may guarantee that, eventually? Again, I hope not.

I would hope we can study awards of all States, proto-States, non-State groups with balance. For example, we discuss Third Reich awards, after all. But maybe it is just the closer we get to the present, the harder it is for some to check their personal histories at the analytical door?

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Bob,

I have no doubt, at all of your good intentions with regards this thread,

but, I was only pointing out the potential for it getting very messy,

as has been witnessed before, it appears to be a phenomenon of our times

that recent events tend to fan the flames of political passion very quickly.

Kevin in Deva.

[Bob]

Let's wait and see where this thread goes then. Hopefully people can post with enthusiasm on orders/medals but with restraint on any political stuff.

I'll do some googling to see what I can find there. It sounds like a fascinating area to dig into a bit deeper.

[Kev in Deva]

http://www.geocities.com/athens/4795/Ireland.htm

I.R.A. medal sparks P.S.N.I. row A P.S.N.I. recruit who wore an Old I.R.A. medal at a passing out ceremony is under pressure to explain himself. Unionists and police representatives expressed disbelief that the officer was allowed to have a medal, commemorating I.R.A. members who fought British soldiers during the 1917-21 campaign for independence, pinned to his chest during last November's graduation ceremony.

However Nationalists defended the officer, insisting he was entitled to do so. "We understand Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton is investigating this matter but he must leave no stone unturned.

"He must insist on the officer explaining his actions. We need to know who authorised the wearing of the medal? What were the officer's intentions? Was it naivety on his part or did he know what he was doing?"

The medal was issued in 1941 by the Irish Government to honour those who fought in the battle for independence. The P.S.N.I. said its policy allowed officers whose relatives had been honoured by any government to wear their medals at a graduation ceremony.

"It is an accepted tradition for an officer to wear medals which have been awarded by a state to a close relative on the right chest during appropriate ceremonies," the P.S.N.I. said. However, Mr Spence said: "No officer should wear anything which glorifies any paramilitary organisation from any decade whether it is loyalist or republican, the U.V.F. or the I.R.A. in the 1920s, 40s, 60s or 90s.

"By the logic of this statement you could have a recruit of German origin wearing an Iron Cross to a graduation ceremony if his or her relative was in the Waffen SS. "They could wear a medal glorifying Nazi destruction and the massacre of millions of Jews during the Holocaust because it was issued by a democratically elected government."

examiner.ie 7 Jan 06

Kevin in Deva.

[Ulsterman]

Introducing the word "terrorist" makes this topic impossible to answer. There are already numerous threads on awards of States that practice(d) terrorism as a part of their national policy.

One person's "terrorist" is another's "patriot" or "freedom fighter".

This is a misnomer. terrorism is a strategic warfare principle with strategic and political facets. guerrilla warfare is another form of warfare. The difference as bespoken here is in the connotation: because terrorists seek to inflict death and horror upon innocent civilians, (indeed they do not view ENEMY civilians as innocent) there is an unpleasant moral implication to the use of the term. terrorism is a form of low level warfare that seeks political ends via a military strategy of terror. Guerrilla warfare in contrast uses terrorism as part of a multifaceted strategy which includes attacks upon military targets and the conquest of geographical areas.

Edited December 26, 2007 by Ulsterman

[oamotme]

With regard to matters Palestinian and regardless of politics, various awards/medals have been issued by numerous groups, including most recently the Palestinian Authority, and I would refer you to my articles in JOMSA - Palestinian Awards (May-June 2004) and Palestine Liberation Army Awards (Nov-Dec 05). As I am sure that Ed would concur, I make no political judgement, rather the article records the fact of the issuance of these awards.

Regards,

Owain