Causes of the War
Obdulio connects the origins of the war to the injustices that the Salvadoran government put its people through.
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. 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.
Reasons for Organizing
Margarita shares her views on the inequality, poverty, and exclusion that led rural Salvadorans to organize.
Reasons to Organize
Víctor reflects on the reasons that led people to organize.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
The 1970s saw escalating tensions and growing violence in El Salvador.
Founding a Development Organization
Obdulio explains his role in founding the CCR (Association of Communities for the Development of Chalatenango).
Detention in 1977
Víctor describes his detention in 1977 on his way back home from a meeting.
Paramilitaries
Celestino explains that the paramilitaries were the harshest forces during the war.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
During the 1980s, thousands of people were displaced from their homes by violence in rural El Salvador.
22 Days of Hunger
Rosa describes a span of 22 days during the war during which she and her mom had no food to eat.
Escape to Mesa Grande
Víctor describes how the population in Arcatao fled to Mesa Grande, a refugee camp in Honduras, as part of the “May Guinda” in 1982.
The “May Guinda” as a Young Girl
Edith remembers experiencing the “May Guinda” as a young girl, including the difficulty of finding food and seeing wounded people all around her.
Explore all videos in Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
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.
The Mesa Grande Refugee Camp and Resettlement of Arcatao
Eduardo describes life in the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras and the resettlement of Arcatao.
Husband’s Capture
Dionisia describes how her husband never made it to the refugee camp Mesa Grande in Honduras, as he was captured and assassinated.
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.
Explore all videos in Chapter 4: Refugee Experiences
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.
Death of a Son
Trinidad tells how she was informed of son’s death in the guerrilla, and she describes a back injury that she suffered due to a mortar explosion.
Hand Accident
Rufino explains that he lost his hand during a training exercise with the guerrilla, but continued to serve as a combatant and bodyguard.
Recruitment of Minors
Marta remembers her recruitment by the guerrilla at age 14 and describes her work as a medical worker within the organization.
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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 the 1986 Invasion
Trinidad describes her experience of the 1986 “Desembarco” invasion in Arcatao, the involvement of a particular commander, and the resettlement process.
Initial Resettlements
Lucía relates the challenges experienced as she and her family made the trip back home to San Antonio Los Ranchos after being refugees in Honduras.
Detained During Resettlement
While returning from Honduras to resettle Arcatao, Arminda and others were detained at a military detachment for fifteen days.
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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.
The Peace Accords
Trinidad explains the military did not fully abide by the Peace Accords during the resettlment process.
Importance of Historical Memory
Trinidad explains why historical memory is so important to avoiding the repetition of history.
The Peace Accords and the “Silent War”
Reflecting on the Peace Accords, Evangelina sees connections between the violence of yesterday and today.
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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.
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.
Achieving Justice
Edwin speaks of various means of achieving justice for survivors of the armed conflict.
Explore all videos in Chapter 8: The Struggle for Justice