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.
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.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Isidora describes the repression that led her and her family to leave their home.
Celestino explains that the paramilitaries were the harshest forces during the war.
Adán asserts that the Salvadoran Armed Forces did not respect human rights, mentioning the assassination of priests like Archbishop Romero.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Toribio remembers how he and his family survived the 1982 “May Guinda”.
Santiago describes cooperation between Honduran, Guatemalan, and Salvadoran military forces.
Cástulo describes a massacre at Las Aradas on the Sumpul River in 1980 and shares some general reflections on the destructiveness of war.
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.
Eduardo describes life in the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras and the resettlement of Arcatao.
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
Marta describes the difficulty of life as a guerrilla and her process of leaving the organization.
Esperanza describes the difficulty of finding food after military operations and explains what living conditions were like in the guerrilla camps.
Carlota explains how she joined the guerrilla as a cook.
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.
Faustina narrates her experience during the 1986 invasion, during which people were intimidated, tortured, and 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.
Explore all videos in Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"
Juana urges governments around the world to prevent the destruction and pain caused by war.
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.
Walter explains that combat between government forces and the guerrillas intensified during the negotiation of the Peace Accords.
Explore all videos in Chapter 7: Peace Accords & Post-War
Isabel reflects on the importance of exhuming the remains of civil war victims.
Dionisa demands justice and accountability for those who committed crimes.
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