Over 10,000 women and men are known as “Los Desaparecidos,” or “the Disappeared,” in El Salvador. They were the victims of kidnapping by military forces associated with the Salvadoran Government during the civil war that took place between 1979 and 1992. 

They were abducted without any formal charge, trial or adjudication, in violation of Salvadoran and international laws. Their families never saw them again – dead or alive.

“Our Parents’ Bones” is a quest for the remains of the Disappeared. It is an international campaign launched in the United States, led by Salvadoran-Americans who lost mothers, fathers or both parents because they were victims of forced disappearance by the Salvadoran military.

The campaign is focused on:

• Seeking the remains of the Disappeared to give them sacred burial and bring healing and closure to their families.
• Bringing together committed individuals to demand the opening of military files to identify places where the bodies of the Disappeared were buried.
• Ending a culture of impunity so that these types of human rights atrocities are never repeated in El Salvador.
• Building a transparent political culture based on accountability
• Helping to build a democratic El Salvador where the post-war reconciliation of society is based on truth.

Join our campaign to find answers for the families of those men and women who were disappeared. Sign our petition and spread the word today!

Our Parents Bones is also honoring the legacy of those lost by collecting and sharing their stories. Please visit www.ourparentsbones.org/send-your-story and share your story with us.

You can also make a secure online donation to our Foundation to help us get the word out about the Disappeared and to help our campaign to bring justice for their families.