Causes of the War
Obdulio connects the origins of the war to the injustices that the Salvadoran government put its people through.
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.
Obdulio connects the origins of the war to the injustices that the Salvadoran government put its people through.
Margarita shares her views on the inequality, poverty, and exclusion that led rural Salvadorans to organize.
Evangelina remembers her childhood days of fishing on the Lempa River.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Ramón describes how the capture of a member of the National Guard by the guerrilla unleashed more violence at the hands of the military; an example of this was the massacre of six women at El Rincón.
Santiago lists some of the rural political organizations which were present in Chalatenango.
Víctor describes his detention in 1977 on his way back home from a meeting.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Rosa remembers the “May Guinda” in 1982 and how she and her family managed to survive.
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.
Arminda describes what it was like to be on the run during the “May Guinda.”
Explore all videos in Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
Pedro describes his experience living in Mesa Grande, a refugee camp in Honduras, and shares his memories of resettling in Guarjila.
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.
Explore all videos in Chapter 4: Refugee Experiences
Rufino explains that he lost his hand during a training exercise with the guerrilla, but continued to serve as a combatant and bodyguard.
Maximina explains her sister’s and her role in the guerrilla during the armed conflict.
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
Trinidad describes her experience of the 1986 “Desembarco” invasion in Arcatao, the involvement of a particular commander, and the resettlement process.
Lidia remembers the 1986 “Desembarco” invasion of Arcatao and tells how she was threatened during the weeks prior to the invasion.
Celestino reflects on one of the most moving moments of his life – the resettlement of the community of San José Las Flores.
Explore all videos in Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"
Trinidad explains why historical memory is so important to avoiding the repetition of history.
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
Edwin speaks of various means of achieving justice for survivors of the armed conflict.
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