What do you do when you have accidentally torn a tiny wire ribbon?

Along with loosening all of the other walls, I removed the left side panel (under the viewfinder) and a little yellow wire ribbon came out with it. I can’t even find the other end of the tear inside the camera. The tear occurs just after a right-angle bend in the cable. Also, I can’t determine how to detach the main golden wire ribbon from the lens (I’m attempting a lens replacement), despite removing several screws on a large, circular silver plate. The walls are not pulling apart very far in order to give me proper access. I don’t want to force it to the point of breaking something else.