The Origins of the War
Trinidad analyzes the causes that prompted the war.
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.
Causes of the War
Obdulio connects the origins of the war to the injustices that the Salvadoran government put its people through.
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.
Murder of Two Grandmothers
Rosa tells how her grandmothers were murdered by the National Guard.
Repression
Isidora describes the repression that led her and her family to leave their home.
Good Soldiers
Faustina remembers the daily exchanges with soldiers, which leads her to think they were not evil themselves but rather trained to do evil things.
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.
The Sumpul River massacre
Rufino remembers the efforts people made to cross the Sumpul River during the “May Guinda.”
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.
Trauma
Celestino describes the symptoms of trauma faced during the war.
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.
Fleeing to Honduras
Rufino remembers when his family decided to flee towards a refugee camp in Honduras during a military operation called “El Carreño.”
Life in the Mesa Grande Refugee Camp
Élida explains how people were organized inside the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras and describes her return to Arcatao.
Choosing to Stay Behind
Berta explains her decision not to go to Honduras as a refugee, and the difficulties of living alone in El Salvador during wartime.
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.
Surviving Military Operations
Santiago describes his experience of multiple military operations, the “May Guinda,” and the disappearance of children.
Hunger After Military Operations
Esperanza describes the difficulty of finding food after military operations and explains what living conditions were like in the guerrilla camps.
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.
Explore all videos in Chapter 5: Guerrilla Experiences
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.
The Embroidery Group
Hermelinda remembers how a nun’s initiative helped prompt a community embroidery group in 1989.
Detained During Resettlement
While returning from Honduras to resettle Arcatao, Arminda and others were detained at a military detachment for fifteen days.
Explore all videos in Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"
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
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
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.
A Message to the World
Eduardo calls out to all countries in the world with a message against war.
Importance of Exhumations
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