-16- The family’s anguish due to the disappearance of the children increased after the war had ended, because they renewed the search for them with the “help of institutions,” without success. Owing to the disappearance of the Serrano Cruz children, their siblings suffered many psychological and physical problems, such as depression, a reduction in self-esteem, anguish, stress, etc. They all suffered and suffer chronic symptoms of “post-traumatic stress.” With time, the traumatic impact has become more severe and the despair has increased, together with the feelings of impotence and anguish. Even though Ernestina and Erlinda disappeared more than 20 years ago, they continue to be “a present absence” in the family; this sentiment has increased since the search for them was set in motion, and the family’s sadness has also been rekindled. The Serrano Cruz family was unable to process their pain and emotions adequately; as a result, they attributed the onset of the illnesses suffered by some of the family members to the suffering; for example, the diabetes and high blood pressure of Ernestina and Erlinda’s mother. One of the consequences of post-traumatic stress is that the victim finds it difficult to relate what has happened coherently; the person cannot recall events with precision or communicate them to others clearly. With regard to reparations, for the psychological treatment to be effective, people need to know the truth about the facts; in other words, to clarify the uncertainty about the whereabouts of the disappeared. c) Proposed by the State 5. Marcial Vela Ramos, retired Army officer The expert witness is a retired Army officer; he is 54 years old. He referred to the commencement of the internal armed conflict in El Salvador and to the operations organized by the guerrilla in Chalatenango and the support they received. The expert witness referred to the orders and the conduct of the Armed Forces during the conflict concerning non-combatants. During the conflict, prior to any military operation, written orders were issued setting out the ���rules of combat”; these included evacuation and respect for the lives and safety of “the masses,” prisoners of war, and any children who were found. People were evacuated by helicopter or on foot. When they had been found, they were handed over to the corresponding authorities; namely, “the mayors’ offices, the Salvadoran Red Cross, or the International Red Cross.” The orders and the conduct of the Armed Forces were always to evacuate non-combatants and not to deprive them of their live or liberty. B) TESTIMONIAL EVIDENCE 36. On September 7 and 8, 2004, the Court received the statements of the witnesses proposed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the representatives of the alleged victims and their next of kin, and the State during a