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Kashmiris joy at cease fire Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/south/11/26/kashmir.ceasefire/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/south/11/26/kashmir.ceasefire/
Kashmiris joy at cease-fire
From CNN's Ram Ramgopal
NEW DELHI, India (CNN) --People on both sides of the border that divides the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir are celebrating the cease-fire between India and Pakistan.
Guns fell quiet on midnight Tuesday at the Line of Control (LOC) that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
Many Kashmiris are hopeful it will herald the beginning of a more lasting peace between the two nations.
Armies from India and Pakistan routinely trade fire across the border, and tens of thousands of lives have been lost since an Islamic militant insurgency began in 1989.
Pakistan announced plans for a unilateral cease-fire along the LOC over the weekend, and India later reciprocated.
As the guns stopped firing in Kashmir, the truce was being monitored closely in villages close to the frontier.
One farmer told CNN the cease-fire was a big relief for those who want to work in their fields, and they want it to last.
First time guns are silent
In a new mood of optimism, analysts described the cease-fire as one of the most comprehensive ever between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan.
"Since 1972, this is the first time that the guns have fallen silent all across the international boundary and the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. So this is really, really a big move," says Jyoti Malhotra, a correspondent from Indian Express newspaper.
The cease-fire also includes the undefined boundary in Siachen Glacier, often described as the world's highest battlefield.
India spends an estimated $250 million each year to maintain its 10,000 troops here.
Dozens of soldiers die every year, not from hostile fire, but from the harsh weather at an altitude of 5,500 meters.
While trust between both sides sank to an all-time low after a summit in the Indian city of Agra more than two years ago, now there is some optimism.
It is hoped the cease-fire and the onset of the northern hemisphere winter will slow insurgent activity to such an extent that further peace initiatives can be negotiated.
"We hope that both the countries would pick up the threads from this move and they will continue with the process of dialogue and negotiations," says Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, a Kashmiri Separatist Leader.
The next opportunity for dialogue comes in January, when Pakistan hosts a summit of South Asian leaders.
Analysts say a bilateral meeting between the Indian and Pakistani leaders is possible, paving the way for meaningful talks on Kashmir.
India and Pakistan have said they would like to boost transport links, including bus services between key cities in Kashmir.
Also on the cards is a ferry service between India's Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and Pakistan's port city of Karachi.
Last year, the two sides stood on the brink of war following an attack on India's parliament building in December 2001 which New Delhi blamed on Islamic militant groups backed by Pakistan.
Islamabad denied the accusation but vowed to clamp down on cross-border militancy.
India said Monday a lasting cease-fire would depend on Pakistan halting the infiltration of Islamic militants into India's Jammu-Kashmir state.
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