The Origins of the War
Trinidad analyzes the causes that prompted the war.
Addressing human rights in the wake of human tragedy
The Unfinished Sentences Testimony Archive is composed of oral histories shared by 48 people who were residents of the community of Arcatao, in the department of Chalatenango, El Salvador, during the period of the Salvadoran civil war. More than 170 interview excerpts tell the story of the civil war from the perspective of people who experienced it first-hand. The testimonies are organized into thematic “Chapters” that focus on different aspects of the conflict in roughly chronological order.
Due to the nature of the experiences discussed in the testimonies, users may find the contents of the archive disturbing: topics include rape, torture, death, and severe hardship. On the other hand, the archive also features narratives of resilience, survival, and mutual assistance in triumphing over adversity.
Trinidad analyzes the causes that prompted the war.
Obdulio connects the origins of the war to the injustices that the Salvadoran government put its people through.
Evangelina remembers her childhood days of fishing on the Lempa River.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Pedro remembers when he joined the UTC (Rural Workers’ Union), which would have secret meetings so as to avoid repression.
Nelson tells about various massacres that took place around Arcatao.
Víctor describes being detained along with 18 other people and explains how they were tortured.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Virginia narrates how she fled from military operations with her children and recounts the day her nine-year-old son died, and she was unable to bury him.
Carlota recalls the first large-scale military operations which drove the population to flee.
Celestino remembers how he and his family survived during the “May Guinda” in 1982, when many died while attempting to cross the Sumpúl River.
Explore all videos in Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
Pedro describes his experience living in Mesa Grande, a refugee camp in Honduras, and shares his memories of resettling in Guarjila.
Eduardo describes life in the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras and the resettlement of Arcatao.
Gregorio explains that he never chose to take refuge in a camp.
Explore all videos in Chapter 4: Refugee Experiences
Margarita describes her work as a nurse in the Rama Caida camp.
Marta describes the difficulty of life as a guerrilla and her process of leaving the organization.
Edwin describes his role in transporting weapons for the guerrilla to and from Honduras and his arrest.
Explore all videos in Chapter 5: Guerrilla Experiences
Lucía relates the challenges experienced as she and her family made the trip back home to San Antonio Los Ranchos after being refugees in Honduras.
Clara describes her experience of the 1986 invasion in Arcatao, during which town residents were locked inside the church.
Marta narrates her experience of the 1986 invasion of Arcatao, at a time when she was pregnant, and how her husband was killed by the military.
Explore all videos in Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"
Santiago points out the importance of historical memory as a valuable legacy for future generations.
Trinidad explains why historical memory is so important to avoiding the repetition of history.
Juana urges governments around the world to prevent the destruction and pain caused by war.
Explore all videos in Chapter 7: Peace Accords & Post-War
Edwin speaks of various means of achieving justice for survivors of the armed conflict.
Dionisa demands justice and accountability for those who committed crimes.
Berta relates how her youngest son died and describes her wish for his prompt exhumation.
Explore all videos in Chapter 8: The Struggle for Justice