The Northeast is a bit too far for the mandarins in New Delhi. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Centre sometimes gets things in Assam ? or other northeastern states, completely wrong. But the faux pas by the Union minister of state for home, Mr S. Raghupathy, is no laughing matter. He should have known better before telling parliament that there had been a ceasefire with the United Liberation Front of Asom. The fact is that the government has not agreed to a ceasefire with the ULFA. The minister?s mistake could complicate the situation in Assam. This is especially unfortunate at a time when the Centre and an ULFA-appointed team are exploring a roadmap for peace. Mr Raghupathy?s remark, obviously the result of inadequate homework, could provide cannon fodder for the ULFA, which has been pushing for a ceasefire. But the most damaging effect of the minister?s slip could be on the army?s morale. The army, the para-military forces and the state police have an uphill task in fighting the ULFA?s militancy. The peace overtures notwithstanding, the ULFA continues with its violent ways. In fact, the militants seem to use the violence in order to force the government to a ceasefire agreement.

There is no denying that a political solution is the only option in Assam. No matter how effective the army offensives are, the military option cannot bring durable peace in the state. But, a ceasefire can be discussed only after the right atmosphere for it has been created. This was the case with the ceasefire with the Naga militant groups. Only after the government and these groups made some progress in peace talks, the ceasefire became a practical option. Ceasefire proposals that look like pre-conditions for peace talks turn out to be ineffective. Thus, the ULFA-appointed group?s insistence on a ceasefire appears to be more an irritant than a help for the peace process. The group is only setting the preliminaries for that process. The ULFA leadership itself is still not anywhere close to a dialogue. As long as the militants continue to threaten the people and the state with guns and bombs, the state has no choice but to use force in order to defend the people and the rule of law. The ULFA?s intermediaries would help the cause of peace better if they can persuade the group to give up arms first. Bargains are part of any peace deal. But bad bargains end up fuelling more suspicion than hope.