El Salvador: Information on forced recruitment of children and youths by Government's armed forces

In the Salvadoran conflict civilians, especially children and youth, are under constant threat by both parties in the conflict by way of forced recruitment or reprisals for alleged collaboration or refusal to collaborate with either of the opposing parties.

On forced collaboration and recruitment, Americas Watch [the Civilian Toll (Washington: Americas Watch, 1987), p. 19.] states that "The Armed Forces have used children as young as 13 as informers, paying them to point out suspected subversives." It adds that "Boys, some much younger than 13, have been seen in uniform in several barracks Americas Watch and other human rights and humanitarian organizations have visited." [Ibid, p.65.] Also, there are reports of an army's conscription drive on January 20, 1988: "Heavy forced recruiting in San Salvador suburbs; mothers and other family members gather in front of First Brigade headquarters to wait for news of their love ones." [El Salvador Chronology, El Rescate Human Rights Department, Los Angeles, Ca. January 1988, Vol. III, No.1, p. 15.] To expand on forced recruitment by the Armed Forces please find attached pages 108-121 of the The Civilian Toll (Washington: Americas Watch, 1987.)

Regarding reprisals by the armed forces against young people for alleged collaboration with the guerrilla, according to statements given by relatives to a UN Special Representative, on 19 May 1987 five young peasants (ages not given) who had collaborated with the FMLN guerrillas by taking food to them under duress, according to some of their relatives were arrested by army units and taken to an outlying shanty town known as Palitos; their bodies, identified by family members, were later found in a pit where they had been buried. At army headquarters, the representative was told the youths were guerrillas who had died in combat. [Final report to the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in El Salvador, submitted by Mr. Jose Antonio Pastor Ridruejo, in pursuance of the mandate conferred by commission resolution 1987/51, (United Nations Economic and Social Council: January 29, 1988), p. 4.]

The Inter-Church Committee for Human Rights in Latin America (ICCHRLA) [1988 Annual report on the human rights situation in El Salvador, (Toronto: ICCHRLA, January 1989),

pp. 5-7,] reports cases of civilians allegedly executed by the Armed Forces in the field in 1988, presumably because of their suspected collaboration with guerrillas. The Civilian Toll states beatings and death threats are common practice of security forces when interrogating suspected rebels or collaborators. [Civilian Toll ... pages 194-202]

On forced collaboration and recruitment by guerrilla forces, The Civilian Toll reports different cases of intimidation and forced collaboration or recruitment by guerrillas in El Salvador [Ibid ... pages 135-145]. Other reports indicate rebel forces have demanded civilians 'incorporate into the struggle' under threat of reprisals. Those who refuse have been reportedly driven off their land, while those suspected of collaborating with the army have been killed. Both parties to the conflict have reportedly stepped up efforts to force civilians to take sides. ["A dirty war grows dirtier in El Salvador", in The New York Times, 5 March 1989.] This has allegedly resulted in an increase in the number of kidnappings and forced recruitment by the guerrillas. ["Salvador rebels step up terrorism", in The New York Times, 16 December 1988; "Army dismantles guerrilla camp, defuses mines", 17 November 1988, and "Coprefa on 9-13 Jan actions", 17 January 1989, both in Latin American Daily Report of the given dates.]On November 17, 1988, the FMLN guerrilla organization reportedly announced through their clandestine Radio Venceremos that "civilians living in conflict-ridden zones must heed the instructions issued by the FMLN's local leaders during the Armed Forces' operations". ["FMLN announces end to truce, warns civilians", in Latin American Daily Report, 18 November 1988, p. 19.]

                Also, according to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1988 the FMLN, throughout 1988, "continued to force civilians, including minors, to serve as porters, spotters and couriers for the guerrilla army". [Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1988, (Washington: U.S. Department of State, 1989), p. 568.]

Regarding reprisals for refusing to collaborate with the guerrilla forces, the UN Special Representative also received reports on May 11, 1987, of the FMLN abduction and subsequent murder of four civilians (ages not given) in the town of San Agustin, for refusing to collaborate with the guerrilla forces. [Final report to the Commission on Human Rights ... p. 6.] The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices states "the guerrillas reportedly perform killings in front of other kidnap victims as a form of intimidation to persuade the captives to be cooperative" [Country Reports, p. 555,].