Causes of the War
Herlindo shares his view on the causes of the Salvadoran civil war and the general consequences that armed conflicts bring about.
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.
Herlindo shares his view on the causes of the Salvadoran civil war and the general consequences that armed conflicts bring about.
Evangelina remembers her childhood days of fishing on the Lempa River.
Damián reflects on the social inequality and social demands that led to the civil war, as well as rural organizing and the founding of the Union of Field Workers (UTC) in 1975.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Eduardo recounts his experience of being interrogated by the National Guard about his relation to Facundo Guardado, a famous guerrilla commander with the FPL and FMLN, and his release after a few hours.
Emeteria describes the brutal massacre of six women in the town of El Rincón on May 8, 1980.
Arminda remembers experiencing the first bombings as a child and being so curious she wasn’t even scared.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Rufino describes the first time he was forced to leave home with his father in order to escape from the National Guard.
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.
Amanda remembers years of military operations which led the civilian population to flee in fear of being massacred.
Explore all videos in Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
Lucía describes how people were organized at the Mesa Grande refugee camp and why she finally decided to return home.
Isabel describes the difficulties of life in the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras.
Evangelina describes living conditions in the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras.
Explore all videos in Chapter 4: Refugee Experiences
Marta describes the difficulty of life as a guerrilla and her process of leaving the organization.
Edwin describes his detention and torture in Honduras.
Carlota explains how she joined the guerrilla as a cook.
Explore all videos in Chapter 5: Guerrilla Experiences
Obdulio describes the war left Arcatao without priests, and community-trained teachers (called “popular teachers”) began to emerge around 1987.
Jorge describes his capture during the “El Carreño” operation in 1986.
Amanda describes the 1986 invasion of Arcatao, known as the “Desembarco massacre,” in which her husband was killed by the military while she was elsewhere caring for a sick child.
Explore all videos in Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"
Juana urges governments around the world to prevent the destruction and pain caused by war.
Esperanza analyzes the changes she saw in El Salvador following the Peace Accords.
Celestino remembers the process that led to the Peace Accords and why it was difficult for the guerrillas to agree to give up their arms.
Explore all videos in Chapter 7: Peace Accords & Post-War
Rosa reflects on the importance of historical memory.
Isabel reflects on the importance of exhuming the remains of civil war victims.
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