MEHTARLAM – For nearly four years, opposing clans pointed weapons at each across an almond grove set in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountain range. Nearby elementary schools were shuttered, and waterlines were riddled with bullet holes. When the snows began to melt early this spring, locals expected more clashes to erupt, but then something unusual happened: everyone agreed to talk.
Results were notable: After years of conflict, a UN-backed peace initiative ended a longstanding land and social dispute, demonstrating the power of local communities . . .
