publications

Glossary/ Abbreviations

Abhiyan

Campaign

Adivasi

Literally meaning “original habitant,” a term used to refer to indigenous tribal communities in India

Anganwadi

Government-run early childhood care and education center under the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme

Ashram school

Government-run residential school in rural areas

Bal sangam

Village-level Naxalite children’s association

Block

Administrative division. Several blocks make a district

CAF

Chhattisgarh Armed Force, under the control of the Chhattisgarh state government

CNM

Chaitanya Natya Manch,a street theater troupe organized and managed by Naxalites

CPI (Maoist)

Communist Party of India (Maoist), a prominent Naxalite political party

CRPF

Central Reserve Police Force, paramilitary police under the control of the Indian central government        

Dalam

Armed squad of Naxalites

Dalit

Literally meaning “broken” people, a term for so-called “untouchables”

DGP

Director general of police

District

Administrative division. Many districts make a state

District collector

Highest district-level administrative officer

Director general of police

Highest police official in the state

Gram Panchayat/

Panchayat

Literally meaning “assembly of five,” a term used to refer to the village-level councils of elected government representatives

ICCPR

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

ICESCR

International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights

IED

Improvised explosive device

IRB

Indian Reserve Battalion, paramilitary police under the control of the Indian central government

ITDA

Integrated Tribal Development Agency

Jan adalats

“People’s courts” organized by Naxalites

Jan militia

Armed informers who travel with dalams

MHA

Ministry of Home Affairs

NCPCR

National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights

NHRC

National Human Rights Commission

Patel

Village headman

PLGA

People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army, standing army of CPI (Maoist) party

Sangam

Village-level Naxalite association

Sarpanch

Village official—head of the gram panchayat

SHRC

State Human Rights Commission

SP

Superintendent of Police

SPOs

Special police officers, auxiliary police force

Superintendent of police (SP)

Highest district-level police officer

Tribe/tribal

Term used to refer to indigenous people in India