One of the world's least-reported conflicts, Kashmir is often viewed by many as just a territorial dispute between South Asian nuclear rivals India and Pakistan. But over the past 32 years, the humanitarian cost of the conflict has been extremely high. Once a paradise on earth for its stunning natural beauty, Kashmir has become a land of pain and misery.
When the armed uprising against Indian rule broke out in 1989 and the conflict turned into a full-fledged dispute, the armed rebellion was gradually crushed by a sustained repressive military campaign by India. More than 90,000 people have died and thousands of orphans and widows have been left behind.
A deep identity crisis and a longing for a life of peace and dignity are seen on the face of every Kashmiri, even in relatively calm times.
