GUWAHATI, February 24: The Assam Government seems all set to draw up a Nagaland-type cease-fire with the outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).This was evident from a press release issued by the Government last night, through which the Government appealed to the rebel group to set a date ``on which they will stop all militant activities'', which would then pave the way for the suspension of counter-insurgency operations by the security forces.The Government, however, did not specifically mention the Naga cease-fire, though making an offer to the ULFA to suspend counter-insurgency operations was enough to indicate this.The press note said that the Government was keen on a dialogue with the outfit, provided the latter suspended all its activities, including attacks on security forces, procurement of arms, extortions and recruitments.At the same time, the Government claimed that the one-year-old operation launched under the Unified Command structure had begun to pay dividends now. A largenumber of militants had either been killed or captured and arms and ammunition, including explosives, had been seized.``By all accounts, the militants are on the run, and they will soon discover that their last hope of finding some sanctuaries in neighbouring countries may be fatally unrealistic,'' the statement added. It also said that the militants might have ``realised by now, the futility of their activities and the rapid erosion of public sympathy towards their outfit'', as was proved by the large turn-out of voters in the Lok Sabha polls, despite a ban called by it on the election process.The Government admitted that the military method was not the ultimate solution. ``After all, even the militants are our own children, brothers and sisters, howsoever misguided and unlawful their activities might be. There must always be a way to bring back the prodigal son,'' the statement said.
