Page 51 - Marlie Burton Roche : Landscape and Bread

MOTHERS OF THE going to different places asking if
So I spent the whole entire day

anyone had seen my son. All I got
DISAPPEARED was negative responses. I spent the
whole night searching for him. The
following day I went to the roadside,
to the hills, and looked in the garbage
dumps and I didn’t see any sign
of him. During this time I had to
leave my little grandchildren, who
I was taking care of, alone, because
My name is Maria Antonio Hernandez. They came to my house. My I couldn’t take them with me while
boy was a student. He was sixteen years old. It was on the third day of I was looking for my son. For four
December and he had come home from school. It was about six in the days it was like a marathon, going
afternoon and these people came to the house without telling me what they place to place looking for my son.
wanted. They just asked for my son. I told them he wasn’t there but they Finally I came across someone who
insisted and they forced their way inside the house. They said they were asked what I was doing. Well, I
looking for him. I asked, “What is the reason? He is just a young boy-just said, “I am looking for my son,” and
a minor.” There was no reason for them to be looking for him. I told them she said, “Go over there about four
he was my only son; that he was studying in school. No, they said, we are blocks away. Maybe you will find
going to take him away to ask him some questions. I said, “I don’t think he him.”
can answer any questions- he just goes to school.” But they insisted and
said they had to take him with them. Well, I went to that place where she
told me and I saw a dog there with
I went behind them. I followed them and I asked them, “Why are you a bone, a bone with some meat on it
taking him; what bad thing did my son do?” I kept following them for a and I thought, “Is this where my son
long time on foot, walking behind them, and asking them why they were can be?” [Crying] So I had to be just
taking my son. They started threatening me. They told me I should go back like the dog and dig around and see
unless I wanted to end up on the roadside in the bushes. what I could find. There were shallow
graves that bodies had been thrown
I still did not know what kind of people they were. They were dressed in into and I scratched; I pulled the
civilian clothing but I finally realized that they were the death squads. I had earth away to see if I could find my
to leave because of all the threats they gave me. I went home but couldn’t son. People came and said, “No! Get
sleep. At sunrise I got up and asked all the people around if anyone knew away from here! The National Guards
anything about my son, if anyone had seen him, and nobody had. I asked are going to come.” But I said, “No,
the neighbors if they had seen these men who were dressed in civilian I have to see if I can find my son.” I
clothes and they said they had never seen them before; that I should go to uncovered a leg with the same colour
the National Guard place and ask people there. I went to the National Guard pants that my son had been wearing
headquarters and they told me that they hadn’t been picking up young boys, and I said to myself, “This must be
or anyone, and certainly not young 16-year-old boys. my son.” But all I could find was the
leg. I tried to find the rest of his body
I went to the Treasury Police and they answered me with the same words. but they had torn him apart. The rest
I cried. The tears were coming down. I said, “Please.” I implored them to of the body was elsewhere……”
give back my son because he is just a young boy. I told them he is just a
minor, not even an adult. They told me I should leave and they said if I Testimony (in translation) given by
didn’t that instead of my son they would take me prisoner. I said, “Give him Maria Antonio Hernandez, a member
back… Give him back.” They told me to go look in other places, that maybe of the Mother’s of The Disappeared
I would find him somewhere else. I said, “Thank you, sirs, you never give Committee.. Recorded in San
back what you take away.” Salvador, El Salvador 1987.

LANDSCAPE & BREAD MARLIE BURTON-ROCHE 47