Word: kashmiri
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...Kashmiris themselves, violence has divided and scattered what was once a close-knit Himalayan community. In their giddier moments, Muslim Kashmiris dreamed that a magic wand would, with one swish, eliminate both India and Pakistan from their lives, permitting them to create an independent state. Hindu Kashmiris, meanwhile, driven from the Muslim-majority valley by terrorism, wished for a Hindu homeland. However, though Kashmiris might be unfortunate, or romantic, they are not fools. They now realize that independence will not suddenly become an option today. Instead, they, along with the Indians and Pakistanis, should seek to effectively end the partition...
...Pakistan have agreed to resume air and road links next month, as well as restore full diplomatic relations, which they suspended 17 months ago. But both sides know that any hope of peace talks could easily be sabotaged by a violent incident like the March 24 massacre of 24 Kashmiri Hindus by unidentified gunmen. Indeed, convincing the militants to hand over their Kalashnikovs is the key to peace in Kashmir?and it may prove impossible. Says Pervez Hoodbhoy, a South Asia expert at the Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad: "There are extremists who want to torpedo these negotiations...
...Saad, a burly Kashmiri in his mid-30s with a closely cropped beard, is one of them. Eyes ablaze, Saad?who prefers not to disclose his full name for security reasons?continues to talk of unending war in Kashmir. These days, however, he's not so sure of high-level support within Pakistan. For an interview at his home in Islamabad, he insists we drive a mazelike route because, he claims, Pakistani intelligence agents, who were once his friends and mentors, are now keeping him under surveillance. Saad says he commands 70 fighters?a fraction...
...American hand is visible as well. Washington has for months urged the parties to engage, and this week U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is flying to the subcontinent, where he's expected to pressure Pakistan to crack down on Kashmiri militancy. (Last Thursday, the U.S. added three Kashmiri separatist outfits to its list of terrorist groups). Violence has flared, however; last week, more than 60 people died in Kashmir. Perversely, even that confirms the changes at work: the rebels always attack when hopes for negotiations break...
Late on March 23, 10 men claiming to be Indian soldiers arrived in the Kashmiri hamlet of Nadimarg. It made sense: Nadimarg's prominent Hindu neighborhood is a likely target for insurgents in the predominantly Muslim region. But this "army" was a terror squad-in counterfeit uniforms-and after ordering villagers from their homes, they executed 22 adults and two children before escaping. Predictably, India charged Pakistan with backing the slaughter, and Islamabad denied doing so. Within days, each nation test-launched a nuclear-capable missile-a reminder of how costly an Indo-Pakistani war could be. U.S. Secretary...