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.
Adán remembers the financial hardship experienced by his family when he was a child and which kept him from attending school.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Faustina remembers the daily exchanges with soldiers, which leads her to think they were not evil themselves but rather trained to do evil things.
Emeteria describes the brutal massacre of six women in the town of El Rincón on May 8, 1980.
Celso describes how he was captured and tortured by the military and National Guard.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Virginia remembers the “May Guinda” and how she and her children managed to survive.
Isabel recalls being on the run and crossing the Sumpul River during the 1982 “May Guinda,” during which the military killed hundreds of civilians.
Celso remembers how he and his family were surrounded by soldiers during the Guinda de Mayo in 1982.
Explore all videos in Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
Rufino remembers when his family decided to flee towards a refugee camp in Honduras during a military operation called “El Carreño.”
Gregorio explains that he never chose to take refuge in a camp.
Amanda decides to flee with her children to the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras after her husband was killed in 1986.
Explore all videos in Chapter 4: Refugee Experiences
Trinidad tells how she was informed of son’s death in the guerrilla, and she describes a back injury that she suffered due to a mortar explosion.
Maximina explains her sister’s and her role in the guerrilla during the armed conflict.
Celestino tells the history of military repression and the early phase of armed resistance in Chalatenango leading up to the “Final Offensive” of 1981.
Explore all videos in Chapter 5: Guerrilla Experiences
Jorge describes his capture during the “El Carreño” operation in 1986.
Dionisia remembers an episode in 1987, right after resettling in Guarjila, when the dropping of a bomb harmed her children.
While returning from Honduras to resettle Arcatao, Arminda and others were detained at a military detachment for fifteen days.
Explore all videos in Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"
Herlindo reflects that El Salvador has made progress following the war.
Reflecting on the Peace Accords, Evangelina sees connections between the violence of yesterday and today.
Esperanza analyzes the changes she saw in El Salvador following the Peace Accords.
Explore all videos in Chapter 7: Peace Accords & Post-War
Rosa explains her opinions on economic reparations and the need to struggle against impunity.
Rosa explains her philosophy of struggle for social change.
Rosa comments on the importance of having the remains of her two grandmothers exhumed.
Explore all videos in Chapter 8: The Struggle for Justice