When we CPTers left the Nasa land reclamation action in Caloto, Cauca, Colombia, police stopped us at a checkpoint. (For more information on the action see CPT Colombia release "Walking the Word" ). A group of young soldiers asked us to get out of the car. I, quite honestly tired of these random checkpoints (especially as I was trying to enjoy a fruit popsicle), got out a little less than willingly. Greeting the young men with "Good afternoon" I realized just how young they were, all probably less than 20 years old. When they asked where we were coming from, we explained that we had visited the action on the farm to support the community.

While we greeted each other, they looked through our bags. We obviously had more experience at checkpoints than they, they were not sure of what they were looking for, or which bags they had checked. Faces looked at me, almost for affirmation that they were doing their job correctly.

One young soldier curtly asked, "So what are they [the community members] saying?" A teammate responded, "That they are going to stay put for the long haul. What are you guys saying?" "We wait for orders," he answered, disappointed by his own response. His eyes got big and sad, and he asked, "Is it true that there are children? I heard there are children. Babies carried in the arms of their mothers." "Yes," we said, "the whole community is there together."

What he did not say with words, his eyes and body said: "I'm scared of hurting children. I am a low ranking soldier and follow orders, and now the consequences of those orders frighten me." The other officers stood hunched as well, quite possibly thinking the same thing.

This conversation came back to my mind the following day, when we heard the news that a young boy had lost his eye in an attack by the police.

Yes, there are children:

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