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.
Margarita shares her views on the inequality, poverty, and exclusion that led rural Salvadorans 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
Nelson tells about various massacres that took place around Arcatao.
Obdulio explains his role in founding the CCR (Association of Communities for the Development of Chalatenango).
Anibal describes an attack on his family in which his father and sister killed, and he and his mother were wounded.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Rosa describes a span of 22 days during the war during which she and her mom had no food to eat.
Hermelinda explains the meaning of the term “guinda”.
Aníbal describes the hardships he and his mother experienced during the “May Guinda.”
Explore all videos in Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
Maximina describes the harsh conditions experienced in the refugee camp at La Virtud, Honduras.
Pedro describes his experience living in Mesa Grande, a refugee camp in Honduras, and shares his memories of resettling in Guarjila.
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
Edwin describes his detention and torture in Honduras.
Gregorio describes daily life in the guerrilla camps.
Celestino tells the history of military repression and the early phase of armed resistance in Chalatenango leading up to the “Final Offensive” of 1981.
Explore all videos in Chapter 5: Guerrilla Experiences
Lidia describes her experience of the 1986 “Desembarco” invasion of Arcatao in detail, pointing out how the arrest of foreign journalists changed the course of events.
Hermelinda remembers how a nun’s initiative helped prompt a community embroidery group in 1989.
Dionisia remembers an episode in 1987, right after resettling in Guarjila, when the dropping of a bomb harmed her children.
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.
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
Rosa explains her opinions on economic reparations and the need to struggle against impunity.
Rosa comments on the importance of having the remains of her two grandmothers exhumed.
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