Isabel recalls being on the run and crossing the Sumpul River during the 1982 “May Guinda,” during which the military killed hundreds of civilians.
- Chapter:
- Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
- Interviewee:
- Isabel
Transcription
I was in Patamera at that time, and they chased us in the direction of Los Amates. We were in Los Amates for two days. Then the army advanced in this direction from Chalate, through San Isidro, and from San Isidro they came to Los Amates. We were forced into the river because of the shooting in Los Amates. Los Amates is very close to the Sumpul River. We jumped into the river. Everyone. Some drowned. They went into the water, and whoever could save herself survived. When we got out of there we went towards Santa Anita and Manaquil. About half way between Santa Anita and Manaquil they, well, we lost the girl, Catalina. I stayed there waiting for her, and when she didn’t appear I and a few other boys who were with me went out to look for her. We left behind many injured people who were with us in a ravine, and we went out to look for the girl Catalina. We found her in a place called Los Francos. I found her there. We stayed there for another two days. Then they chased us out. The army had surrounded us. They chased us out and as best we could we starting going in the direction of Patamera. On the way back, because we were trying to, we wanted to cross over the Sumpul Bridge but we couldn’t, because it was taken over. So we couldn’t go that way, and we came back towards Patamera, without coordination. Near a hill called “Cerro Pintado” or “Peñasco” we stayed for the night. They caught us with machinegun fire; they started shooting as soon as they ran into us! So we were forced to throw ourselves into a ravine if we were to have any chance to survive. Well, an older woman threw herself also. She fell down below, and when we heard that she was snoring we went another way, but she was unconscious. So she was left there. She appeared fifteen days later, covered with maggots. Her head was smashed. She died two months later.