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.
Cástulo shares his thoughts on the causes of the war, the injustices and oppression he witnessed, and how that fueled political organization.
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.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Nelson describes the burial of women killed at the El Rincón massacre and explains why after 1980 the civilian population and guerrilla stopped burying their dead.
Otilia remembers soldiers storming in during a religious ceremony and killing her brother.
Víctor describes his detention in 1977 on his way back home from a meeting.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Otilia recounts the killing of her father in a military ambush during the “May Guinda” while she and the rest of her family fled for their lives.
Gregorio remembers the deployment of 14,000 Salvadoran and Honduran soldiers during the 1982 “May Guinda”, and contrasts this with later military operations.
Celestino describes the symptoms of trauma faced during the war.
Explore all videos in Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
Rufino remembers when his family decided to flee towards a refugee camp in Honduras during a military operation called “El Carreño.”
Isabel describes the difficulties of life in the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras.
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
Marta remembers her recruitment by the guerrilla at age 14 and describes her work as a medical worker within the organization.
Edwin describes his detention and torture in Honduras.
Cástulo describes the kind of organized labor the guerrilla carried out during guindas in order to support the civilian population.
Explore all videos in Chapter 5: Guerrilla Experiences
Obdulio describes the war left Arcatao without priests, and community-trained teachers (called “popular teachers”) began to emerge around 1987.
Élida provides an account of the long walks she and others had to take from Arcatao to Chalatenango in order to obtain food supplies, and tells about the first religious procession community members participated in after resettling Arcatao.
Carlota remembers a grenade explosion in her home during the 1986 invasion and the threats to the civilian population inside the town church.
Explore all videos in Chapter 6: Resettlement & the "Desembarco"
Trinidad explains why historical memory is so important to avoiding the repetition of history.
Juana urges governments around the world to prevent the destruction and pain caused by war.
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 reflects on the importance of historical memory.
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