Army commander vows not to sign Status of Forces agreement with the US

COLOMBO (News 1st): Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake claims that there are various regional and world powers trying to take advantage of the current situation in our country owing to the strategic and geographical importance of the country. He further vouched that he will not agree to sign the Status of Forces Agreement with the United States of America claiming that "it would be like committing suicide after writing all my property to someone else." The Ceylon Today reported that the alleged plans by the Government to sign the SOF agreement with the US has drawn much criticism from various political parties and interested groups, who opined that it poses a severe threat to the country’s sovereignty. The agreement allegedly contains clauses which undermine the domestic rule of law and tax and there was no reciprocity. The report added that several opposition parliamentarians alleged earlier that the US had requested that US military personnel be subjected to US law when they are in Sri Lanka. US military personnel would also be allowed to export goods purchased in Sri Lanka without being questioned.