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DATE=8/2/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=KASHMIR KILLINGS
NUMBER=2-265052
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  More than 80-people have been killed as 
terrorists opposed to a cease-fire in Kashmir have 
attacked villages across the Indian state, Jammu and 
Kashmir.  V-O-A's Jim Teeple reports from New Delhi, 
India's Prime Minister condemned the attacks and 
accused Pakistan of supporting the killers.
TEXT:  Security forces appear to have been caught off 
guard by the killings, which began late Tuesday and 
continued Wednesday.  Many of the victims were Hindu 
laborers in isolated villages.
The first attack came in Pahalgam when militants 
attacked a police post guarding Hindu pilgrims 
traveling to a religious shrine.  Authorities say 
casualty figures could rise in the hours ahead because 
many of the wounded are in critical condition.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the 
attacks.  Officials blame the killings on militants 
opposed to a cease-fire declared last week by Hizbul 
Mujahadeen - the largest militant group fighting in 
Kashmir.  The Indian Army has matched the cease-fire.
But other militant groups have vowed to step up their 
attacks.  Speaking to the private Star television 
network, the senior elected official in Jammu and 
Kashmir, Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, says the 
attacks are an attempt to stop talks between the 
Indian government and Hizbul Mujahadeen.
            // ABDULLAH ACT //
      This is all to see that the peace process that 
      was started is stalled - so that in no way the 
      government of India talks to Hizbul Mujahadeen.  
      I think this is all being orchestrated from 
      across the border by the other groups that do 
      not want peace here.
            // END ACT //
Answering questions in Parliament, Prime Minister Atal 
Behari Vajpayee lashed out at Pakistan, accusing 
Islamabad of backing the groups that carried out the 
killings.
Hizbul Mujahadeen has reportedly named a three-man 
negotiating team to talk with Indian officials about 
how to make their three-month cease-fire permanent.  
The group is believed to control about one-third of 
the estimated three-thousand militants operating in 
the Kashmir valley.   (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/RAE
02-Aug-2000 07:20 AM EDT (02-Aug-2000 1120 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.