Rathana Thero urges President not to proceed with SOFA
Parliamentarian Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thero urges President Maithripala Sirisena not to allow the government to proceed with the proposed Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States.
Rathana Thero stated this last evening (24) addressing a public event held to speak up against the SOFA.
Stating that India and the United States are not rival countries now and that they have common interests, Rathana Thero stressed on the fact that Sri Lanka does not benefit by adapting a foreign policy which does not maintain friendly relations with India.
Rathana Thero says he does not believe that India wants Sri Lanka to become a base of the US armed forces.
Rathana Thero underlined that accommodating pro-China policies will ruin the friendly relations that Sri Lanka has established with India.
General Secretary of UPFA Mahinda Amaraweera also addressed the event urging the President to discontinue the Status of Forces Agreement with the United States.
He claimed that the government is preparing to sign the agreement by any means and that the United States has already been given verbal promises by the government.
(Source: Ada Derana)

Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Indian PM Narendra Modi to visit Sri Lanka in early April 2025 March 15, 2025
- Sri Lankan President joins special Iftar ceremony at Temple Trees March 15, 2025
- Customs Inspector arrested for smuggling Rs. 30 Million cannabis oil March 15, 2025
- Police constable arrested for taking bribe to issue clearance certificate March 15, 2025
- COPE uncovers irregular NMRA certification process March 14, 2025
SOFA (Sri Lankan Ought to Forget Agreement). This is an unnecessary agreement. We should not sign this.
This Thera should be jail.
He attempted death by fasting (of course, Wimal’s Lemon Puffs helped).