Reasons for Organizing
Margarita shares her views on the inequality, poverty, and exclusion that led rural Salvadorans to organize.
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.
Margarita shares her views on the inequality, poverty, and exclusion that led rural Salvadorans to organize.
Clara recalls the Soccer War between El Salvador and Honduras, and staying behind with her children while her husband slept somewhere in the mountains.
Evangelina remembers her childhood days of fishing on the Lempa River.
Explore all videos in Chapter 1: Pre-war & The Origins of the War
Patricia describes an episode in which women were treated aggressively in public by members of ORDEN.
Isidora describes the massacre of six women at El Rincón.
Élida describes the beginnings of social organization and protest, and relates an episode of violence that took place in her hamlet.
Explore all videos in Chapter 2: Rural Organizing & Repression
Hermelinda explains the meaning of the term “guinda”.
Damián describes the massacre of La Quesera, in San Vicente province.
Carlota remembers fleeing with her newborn during the “May Guinda” in 1982.
Explore all videos in Chapter 3: The Years of "Guindas"
Pedro describes his experience living in Mesa Grande, a refugee camp in Honduras, and shares his memories of resettling in Guarjila.
Lucía describes how people were organized at the Mesa Grande refugee camp and why she finally decided to return home.
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
Edwin describes his first experiences in armed political activity and how he was wounded during a large military operation led by the Salvadoran Armed Forces with the participation of Guatemalan forces.
Esperanza describes the difficulty of finding food after military operations and explains what living conditions were like in the guerrilla camps.
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
Clara describes her experience of the 1986 invasion in Arcatao, during which town residents were locked inside the church.
Dionisia remembers an episode in 1987, right after resettling in Guarjila, when the dropping of a bomb harmed her children.
Adán relates the 1986 invasion of Arcatao and describes combat between the guerrilla and military.
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.
Reflecting on the Peace Accords, Evangelina sees connections between the violence of yesterday and today.
Explore all videos in Chapter 7: Peace Accords & Post-War
Rosa explains her opinions on economic reparations and the need to struggle against impunity.
Isabel reflects on the importance of exhuming the remains of civil war victims.
Edwin speaks of various means of achieving justice for survivors of the armed conflict.
Explore all videos in Chapter 8: The Struggle for Justice