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.
Cástulo shares his thoughts on the causes of the war, the injustices and oppression he witnessed, and how that fueled political organization.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Pedro describes how members of ORDEN killed his uncle and another woman.
Rosa tells how her grandmothers were murdered by the National Guard.
Faustina remembers the daily exchanges with soldiers, which leads her to think they were not evil themselves but rather trained to do evil things.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Otilia recounts the killing of her father in a military ambush during the “May Guinda” while she and the rest of her family fled for their lives.
Edith remembers experiencing the “May Guinda” as a young girl, including the difficulty of finding food and seeing wounded people all around her.
Celestino describes the symptoms of trauma faced during the war.
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.
Isidora recalls her experience in the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras, describing how activities within the camp were divided up between people living there.
Explore all videos in Chapter 4: Refugee Experiences
Maximina remembers guerrilla commander Jesús Rojas and the help he provided to Arcatao.
Esperanza describes the difficulty of finding food after military operations and explains what living conditions were like in the guerrilla camps.
Cástulo describes the kind of organized labor the guerrilla carried out during guindas in order to support the civilian population.
Explore all videos in Chapter 5: Guerrilla Experiences
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.
Celestino reflects on one of the most moving moments of his life – the resettlement of the community of San José Las Flores.
Carlota remembers a grenade explosion in her home during the 1986 invasion and the threats to the civilian population inside the town church.
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 comments on the importance of having the remains of her two grandmothers exhumed.
Edwin speaks of various means of achieving justice for survivors of the armed conflict.
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