Our Only Crime
Edwin explains how state respression of movements for change led to the decision to take up armed struggle.
Testimony Archive
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. Interviews were conducted during November 2013 through August 2014. 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.
Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
El Salvador’s civil war has its roots in the deeply unequal social structures established during the 16th century Spanish colonization of Central America.
Childhood
Edith describes her childhood and how household labor was divided among family members.
Origins of the Conflict
Damián reflects on the social inequality and social demands that led to the civil war, as well as rural organizing and the founding of the Union of Field Workers (UTC) in 1975.
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Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
The 1970s saw escalating tensions and growing violence in El Salvador.
Fleeing Repression
Patricia describes the difficulty of deciding to leave their homes for the first time to avoid repression and violence after her husband and brother had been detained.
Motives to Organize
Obdulio explains the reasons that led people to organize.
Founding a Development Organization
Obdulio explains his role in founding the CCR (Association of Communities for the Development of Chalatenango).
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Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
During the 1980s, thousands of people were displaced from their homes by violence in rural El Salvador.
The First “Guinda”
Rufino describes the first time he was forced to leave home with his father in order to escape from the National Guard.
The “May Guinda”
Arminda describes what it was like to be on the run during the “May Guinda.”
Fleeing to Honduras
Arminda relates how her family migrated to Honduras and lived among the Honduran population.
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Chapter 4: Refugee Experiences
Faced with overwhelming violence, displaced populations faced difficult decisions about whether to leave El Salvador, and when to return. Some people sought safety elsewhere within the country.
Mesa Grande and Resettlement
Pedro describes his experience living in Mesa Grande, a refugee camp in Honduras, and shares his memories of resettling in Guarjila.
The Mesa Grande Refugee Camp
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.
Refuge in Mesa Grande
Amanda decides to flee with her children to the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras after her husband was killed in 1986.
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Chapter 5: Guerrilla Experiences
Salvadorans who supported the guerrilla groups had a wide range of reasons for doing so, and varied experiences in the movement.
Arrested in Honduras
Edwin describes his role in transporting weapons for the guerrilla to and from Honduras and his arrest.
The “Final Offensive”
Celestino tells the history of military repression and the early phase of armed resistance in Chalatenango leading up to the “Final Offensive” of 1981.
The “May Guinda”
Walter remembers being a guerrilla during the 1982 “May Guinda” and surviving alongside his comrades.
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Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"
Many Salvadorans returned from refugee camps in Honduras in the late 1980s, but faced continued repression upon their return. Refugees were stigmatized as guerrilla supporters.
Resettlement and Dangers of Landmines
Emeteria describes the process of resettlement in Guarjila, Chalatenango, and the dangers returnees faced due to landmines.
The 1986 Invasion: Interrogation of Women & Children
Esperanza describes the 1986 invasion in Arcatao, and relates how children were interrogated by the military.
The 1986 Invasion
Carlota remembers a grenade explosion in her home during the 1986 invasion and the threats to the civilian population inside the town church.
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Chapter 7: Peace Accords & Post-War
El Salvador’s civil war officially ended in 1992, but the country continues to experience deep divisions and ongoing issues of inequality, insecurity, violence, and lack of access to justice.
Importance of Historical Memory
Trinidad explains why historical memory is so important to avoiding the repetition of history.
Message to Other Countries
Juana urges governments around the world to prevent the destruction and pain caused by war.
Post-War Progress
Herlindo reflects that El Salvador has made progress following the war.
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Chapter 8: The Struggle for Justice
Today, survivors of grave human rights violations committed during El Salvador’s civil war continue to struggle for truth and justice.
Reparations and the Struggle Against Impunity
Rosa explains her opinions on economic reparations and the need to struggle against impunity.
Death of a Father
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.
The Importance of Exhumations
Isabel reflects on the importance of exhuming the remains of civil war victims.
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