Rufina Amaya
Rufina Amaya, the only survivor of El Mozote massacre, was 38 at the time of the killings. With the help of her testimony, the Truth Commission was able to investigate the happenings of those days and bring to light the crime committed by the military. She was able to elude the military’s brutality by swift action. Rufina Amaya’s four children were all taken away from her before the military proceeded with taking Mrs. Amaya and 22 other women up to a hill. Mrs. Rufina recounts how she saw a mountain of dead people stacked on topped of each other, and at that moment she hurried to jump in a bush. Luckily for her sake, Mrs. Amaya was last in the line of women being taken to be executed. Mrs. Amaya remained in the bush throughout the whole night where she heard children and babies screaming in horror. Mrs. Amaya even stated that she heard a child say, “ Mama they are killing us!”. Mrs. Amaya then dug a hole where she screamed and then everything went silent. She was able to escape after that night.
With the help of Mrs. Amaya the massacre did not go unheard. After being interviewed, her testimony made headlines in the Washington Post and the New York Times. After the story of the massacre was published, it made the investigation easier for the Truth Commission because the government could not interfere with the investigations. Also with the testimony of Mrs. Rufina Amaya the government and the military officers responsible for the massacre could not deny the genocide. Mrs. Rufina Amaya was of great contribution to the investigation of the El Mozote Massacre. Mrs. Amaya’s testimony was able to open doors and answer questions that were important to understand the massacre. Mrs. Amaya died at the age of 64 in 2007.
Read more about this topic: El Mozote