Fishing on the Lempa River
Evangelina remembers her childhood days of fishing on the Lempa River.
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.
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.
Lack of Access to Education
Adán remembers the financial hardship experienced by his family when he was a child and which kept him from attending school.
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Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
The 1970s saw escalating tensions and growing violence in El Salvador.
Military Retaliation
Ramón describes how the capture of a member of the National Guard by the guerrilla unleashed more violence at the hands of the military; an example of this was the massacre of six women at El Rincón.
Burying the Dead
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.
El Rincón Massacre
Isidora describes the massacre of six women at El Rincón.
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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 “May Guinda”
Toribio remembers how he and his family survived the 1982 “May Guinda”.
The “May Guinda”
Virginia remembers the “May Guinda” and how she and her children managed to survive.
Death of Her Baby
Faustina remembers the death of her baby during the “May Guinda.”
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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.
Conditions of the La Virtud Refugee Camp
Maximina describes the harsh conditions experienced in the refugee camp at La Virtud, Honduras.
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.
Returning to Arcatao
Virginia describes life at the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras, and her challenging trip back to Arcatao.
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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.
Captured by the National Guard
Maximina recalls being ill in a guerrilla hospital when she was captured, then taken away in a helicopter, threatened, and transported to San Salvador to be interrogated.
The Massacre of El Zapote
Maximina describes the operation that led to the Zapote massacre, in which her pregnant sister and Commander Jesús Rojas died.
Sent to Honduras
Edwin describes being sent by his superiors to do logistical work for the guerrilla in Honduras.
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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.
The 1986 Invasion
Rosa relates her experience of the 1986 invasion, which took place shortly after she and her family had resettled in Arcatao.
Community-trained Teachers
Obdulio describes the war left Arcatao without priests, and community-trained teachers (called “popular teachers”) began to emerge around 1987.
Refugee Experiences
Emeteria remembers the process of resettlement in Guarjila after returning from the Mesa Grande refugee camp in Honduras.
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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.
Historical Memory
Santiago points out the importance of historical memory as a valuable legacy for future generations.
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.
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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.
Changing the System
Rosa explains her philosophy of struggle for social change.
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.
Explore all videos in Chapter 8: The Struggle for Justice