The Language of the Bones

Zósimo Hilario whose father was murdered in 1991 along with 12 other family members by an army patrol, as part of the Santa Barbara case. August 18, 2017.

Remains of clothing from a disappeared person in the museum of the association of relatives and children of the disappeared in Huamanga. April 12, 2017.

On January 17, 1984, around 4 a.m., a squad of the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) entered the house of the Morales family while they slept. Without a known motive, they killed the four adults: Claudio Morales, Lucila Morales, Victor Morales and Catalina Limaco. Victor and Catalina had five children, between one and 12 years old, who witnessed the murders and lived with the bodies for four days due to the isolated location of their home. October 6, 2017.

Funeral procession to the burial of the victims in the Soras case. On July 16, 1984, a bus from the “Cabanino” company was doing the usual route towards Soras. In the vehicle were 40 members of the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path). The bus stopped in the towns of Chaupishuasi, Doce Corral and Soras; the Shining Path terrorists murdered over 100 people who refused to join their ranks. Over 27 years later, the remains of 14 of these people can finally rest in peace in the Soras local cemetery. November 23, 2011.

The Castillo Family carries the coffin of Denis Castillo into his house. Early in the morning of May 2, 1992, the paramilitary group “Colina” kidnapped nine peasants from the Santa district. After being missing almost 20 years, their remains were found and delivered to their families. This was one of the most notorious cases during the dictatorship of Alberto Fujimori, who is now in jail for human rights violations. November 11, 2011.

Alejandrina Valenzuela in front of the coffins of her parents, during the memorial service for 74 people from the district of Chungui, in Ayacucho, in the Huamanga municipal building. January 25, 2013.

Indalesio Perez de la Cruz, 79, next to the photograph of his father Aquilino, buried 37 years of after he was killed by a patrol of the Peruvian army. On August 14, 1985, 69 peasants from the Ayacucho district of Accomarca were extrajudicially executed by military troops in the area called LLoccllapampa, one of the most infamous cases of the internal armed conflict. More than 37 years after the massacre, the remains were handed over to the relatives in a ceremony in the town of Accomarca. After a wake, the remains were buried, closing the mourning process that had been suspended for many years. May 20, 2022.

Apolinario Pizarro Zarate´s mother and siblings at the premises for the restitution ceremony in the communal house in Pujas. Most of them emigrated after his father disappeared. Thirty-seven years after their disappearance and 11 years after their bodies were exhumed, the town of Pujas saw the reunion of these families once again on January 28, 2020. After the conflict, many family members had migrated to other provinces of the country or abroad. During the restitution, the re-assembly of the bones was conducted in front of the families, where they could observe the body of their children, sibling and parent take form in the coffin and thus, little by little closing a cycle that seemed endless. January 28, 2020.

Relatives of 11 family members whose remains were exhumed, during the burial in the local cemetery of Soras. On July 16, 1984, a bus from the “Cabanino” company was doing the usual route towards Soras. In the vehicle were 40 members of the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path). The bus stopped in the towns of Chaupishuasi, Doce Corral and Soras; the Shining Path terrorists murdered over 100 people who refused to join their ranks. Over 27 years later, the remains of 14 of these people can finally rest in peace in the Soras local cemetery. November 23, 2011.

On January 28, 2020, the whole town of Pujas accompanied the journey of exhumed remains to the local cemetery, with harp and violin music, 37 years after their disappearance and 11 years after their bodies were exhumed, on the 28th of January 2020, the town of Pujas witnessed the reunion of these families once again. Most of whom after the conflict migrated to other provinces of the country or abroad. During the restitution, the re-assembly of the bones was conducted in front of the families, where they could observe the body of their children, sibling and parent take form in the coffin and thus, little by little, closing a cycle that seemed endless.  January 28, 2020.

Malila Palomino was 3 years old when her father Antonio was murdered. She now mourns the remains of her father in the town of Pujas. January 29, 2020.

Relatives of Catalina Limaco Cisneros pose for the official judiciary registry photo during the delivery of the remains of four members of the Morales family, who were murdered in 1984 by the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) in Ocros, Ayacucho. October 6, 2017.

Urbano Huamaní Vegara, 47, during the burial of his brother Elihoref’s remains. Elihoref served in the Peruvian army and was traveling the same road as the detainees. He was kept by the patrol led by Lieutenant Bendezú while his father and nephew, who were traveling with him, went ahead, confident that his military background would keep him safe. He was murdered along with 13 members of the Hilario family. August 18, 2017.

Niece of the disappeared Walter Camino López (in the photo), during the ceremony of placing stones commemorating the victims of the armed conflict era, at the memorial "El ojo que llora" (The crying eye). April 6, 2014.

Jorge Noriega in the memorial built where his son's remains were found. Early in the morning of May 2, 1992, the paramilitary group “Colina” kidnapped nine peasants from the Santa district. After being missing almost for 20 years, the remains were found and delivered to their families. This was one the most notorious cases during the dictatorship of Alberto Fujimori, who is now in jail for human rights violations. In Peru, there are still 16,000 people missing in cases related to terrorist violence during the armed conflict era of 1980-2000. November 11, 2011.

Antonio Espinoza's mother sits at her son's wake in what was his home, until he was kidnapped and then murdered by the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) terrorist group in 1985. Antonio’s house was burned down and his wife Cirila had to leave her home with her children for several years. After 37 years, Antonio's remains were returned to the house to be watched over by his family. January 29, 2020.

The first museum made for victims of the violence era in Peru. Built by the relatives of missing people in Ayacucho. August 18, 2017.

Mass wake for more than 100 people killed in the Accomarca massacre. On August 14, 1985, a military patrol under the command of Telmo Hurtado killed almost all the residents of the town of Accomarca in the Ayacucho region, alleging that they were members of the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path). Hurtado, nicknamed "the butcher of the Andes,” is now in prison after being extradited in 2011 by the United States, where he had been living. May 19, 2022.

Pimitivo Baldeon, 81, during the wake for six of his relatives killed in the Accomarca massacre. He says he thought he would never make it alive to the day when the bodies of his relatives would be returned. May 19, 2022.

Cirila Baldeon, a survivor of the Accomarca massacre, after the mass burial in a sanctuary that was once a military base on the heights of the town of Acoomarca. On August 14, 1985, a military patrol under the command of Telmo Hurtado killed almost all the residents of the town of Accomarca in the Ayacucho region, alleging that they were members of the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path). Hurtado, nicknamed "the butcher of the Andes,” is now in prison after being extradited in 2011 from the United States where he had been living. May 20, 2022.