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.
Víctor reflects on the reasons that led people to organize.
Edwin explains how state respression of movements for change led to the decision to take up armed struggle.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Pedro describes growing up fatherless after soldiers killed his father.
Faustina remembers the daily exchanges with soldiers, which leads her to think they were not evil themselves but rather trained to do evil things.
Celestino explains that the paramilitaries were the harshest forces during the war.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Santiago describes cooperation between Honduran, Guatemalan, and Salvadoran military forces.
Carlota recalls the first large-scale military operations which drove the population to flee.
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"
Virginia describes life at the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras, and her challenging trip back to Arcatao.
Isabel describes the difficulties of life in the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras.
Gregorio explains that he never chose to take refuge in a camp.
Explore all videos in Chapter 4: Refugee Experiences
Maximina remembers guerrilla commander Jesús Rojas and the help he provided to Arcatao.
Gregorio describes daily life in the guerrilla camps.
Esperanza describes the difficulty of finding food after military operations and explains what living conditions were like in the guerrilla camps.
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.
Evangelina describes the 1986 “Desembarco” invasion and massacre in Arcatao, and explains how the intervention of foreign journalists prevented killings of greater magnitude.
Emeteria describes the process of resettlement in Guarjila, Chalatenango, and the dangers returnees faced due to landmines.
Explore all videos in Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"
Juana urges governments around the world to prevent the destruction and pain caused by 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
Herlindo explains that his father died during the war and that, decades later, he returned from his life in Sweden to exhume his father’s remains.
Eduardo calls out to all countries in the world with a message against war.
Dionisa demands justice and accountability for those who committed crimes.
Explore all videos in Chapter 8: The Struggle for Justice