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passage of the Office for the Missing Persons Act. The Government has declared that it would now entertain amendments from the JanathaVimukthiPeramuna (JVP). These amendments were not moved ahead of the Bill being passed into law due to commotion in the House. When amendments are moved, one suggestion has been for them to go to the Supreme Court using that as a platform to challenge the new law. Small group meetings are being planned in different areas to brief the people on what the ‘Joint Opposition’ calls the dangers from the Office for the Missing Persons Act.
President Sirisena who heads the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has been alive to the developments in the pro Rajapaksa faction, particularly the different measures being adopted. One such instance, reported in these columns last week, is the resignation of organisers, both district and electoral, after some were suspended. He has taken a break from his regular chores to conduct meetings with his party’s high command fuelling speculation there may be surprises at the party’s annual sessions. Among those who have been involved in a string of discussions at his Paget Road residence were one time President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, SLFP General Secretary DumindaDissanayake, and UPFA General Secretary MahindaAmaraweera.
There is little doubt that rivalry between the two fac- tions within the SLFP would exacerbate, particularly with Rajapaksa loyalists deciding to boycott their annual sessions. Crowds will not be an issue at the SLFP convention in Kurunegala. Arrangements are under way by organisers to have crowds transported in buses from different parts of the country. The issue, however, is clearly the parting of the ways. If rival faction members choose to say they are going it alone in Parliament, further separation of the party will become inevitable. Even sacking those dissidents would entail a legal process, enough time for them to consolidate. Just a week away from their annual convention, there is little doubt that the SLFP is in deep crisis.