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ideology. Most children who are part of bal sangams also work as informers and are
trained in the use of non-lethal weapons such as sticks. 443
There appears to be no fixed method, number, or quota for bal sangam enlistment.
When we asked how children were chosen to be in bal sangams, former Naxalite
Satyam David said, “They included almost all children’s names in the bal sangam [in
his village].” 444 For example, the largest bal sangam described to Human Rights
Watch had 150 members and the smallest had 10-15 members. 445
Subba Atish, a former Naxalite commander, gave us a brief description of the role of
bal sangam members:
[Children join a] bal sangam from age six or seven. From a bal sangam,
they go to a sangam or CNM, and from there to different departments
depending upon how good they are. One is in a bal sangam until
around age 12 … We used to sing songs at bal sangam meetings. They
[senior Naxalites] used to talk about Marx and Lenin. They used to tell
us we must join the fight. We [bal sangam members] also worked as
informers and told them [dalam members] about police movements
and locations…. For example, [bal sangam members] will be playing
with jeeps and if they see anyone they will run and tell [dalam
members]…. I was in a bal sangam for three years…. Became bal
sangam adhyaksh [president] when I was in class seven. I continued
education up to class nine. We had around 150 children in the bal
sangam from our village. 446
443 Human Rights Watch interviews with Tarrem Kosa and Vikas Modhey (pseudonyms), former Naxalites, other details
withheld.
444 Human Rights Watch interview with Satyam David (pseudonym), former Naxalite, other details withheld.
445 Human Rights Watch interviews with Sushovan Banu, Subba Atish, and Veera Etishan (pseudonyms), former Naxalites,
other details withheld. Sushovan Banu stated that there were around 35 children in the bal sangam in his village; there were
10-15 children in Veera Etishan’s village and around 150 children in Subba Atish’s village.
446 Human Rights Watch interview with Subba Atish (pseudonym).
131
Human Rights Watch July 2008