Santiago points out the importance of historical memory as a valuable legacy for future generations.
- Chapter:
- Chapter 7: Peace Accords & Post-War
- Interviewee:
- Santiago
Transcription
[For you, Santiago, why is it important to preserve historical memory? Why is it important for other generations to know about everything that happened during the armed conflict? Why is it important to you?]
Look, to me it’s important so that it doesn't happen again. To do all this for—well, memory is there so that our children can do something. Not like some people say, some of the older people who say that what happened should be forgotten. No, forgetting—I’m not going to forget that my mom died, that my mom was murdered and that my dad starved to death. Could you believe that I could forget that? As if one could just say: that already happened, let’s leave it at that. No! I am in favor of doing this so that new generations know there was a war, so they know what a war is like. Having a monument—well yes. I tell you, if I had the means maybe I wouldn’t have to ask our city government or leaders, to make a monument for this type of people. Who would ask for money to make us a house? So that we had a roof over our heads? Those people, we need to keep them somewhere, in history. Like other people from the past who are remembered by history, they should be too. This memory, this is to leave a reminder for new generations so that there is never another war.