Wiki defines, Status of Forces Agreement (SoFA) as, “SoFA does not constitute a security arrangement; it establishes the rights and privileges of foreign personnel present in a host country in support of the larger security arrangement, there are details to it.” The United States (US) trying to get SoFA here in Nepal certainly triggers the bell. What is their vested interest for SoF Agreement here in Nepal? The question strikes. May be they want to help or maybe they are thinking of a counter strategy for China and India or may be they want to make Nepal as one of their base or may be the unknown. The strategy of US against its allies has been very phenomenal and dynamic. Their strategies and practices have been well seen with the measures that they take at the times of need which shows they are very clerical. US has big powers and big powers calls for big measures which certainly needs to be worked and understood. More or less with the financial assistance and support that Nepal Government is receiving from different US agencies will to the level pressure the Nepalese authorities to be more flexible toward the agreement but on what cost and measures should be on our teams and conditions. The question that raises is why should we give rights for a foreign army to move freely in Nepal that is the question that impedes me and my sense of patriotism.
I believe any country getting down in establishing itself to give technical mobility powers to the alien forces is a question of its weakness. Moreover, understanding it in a normal way to give authority or power for alien security forces to move freely in other country’s territory is not just a question of the host countries sovereignty but is also question of the measures that should be taken in and against at times of need. SoFA has both pros and cons. Pro’s will be well defined but what about the con’s like for example in Iraqi with the SoFA there was a sister agreement done which gave the forces certainly feasibilities where the secondary agreement is still not made public. We can understand the US policies toward terrorism but what I cannot understand is the power and control mechanism they have. But in Nepal which is relatively a small country which is currently going at the verge of political chaos, the SoFA certainly triggers a red light. SoFA was previously introduced during the king’s regime where it was turned down but after the Current Chief of the Army visit to the US. The SoFA issue has again came into lime light. The issue is currently being researched in the Home ministry where it will be forwarded to the related military secretariat for the necessary research and understanding.
The real reason lies behind the door where the US and its administrators have the answers. We can’t just speculate about what can happen and what can be done? But it certainly highlights the questions that came out from wiki leaks and further obliterates the situation saying WHY NEPAL?