Why shouldn’t UN secretary general demanded resignation of Pascoe?

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 12 March: Why shouldn’t the resignation of UN Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs B.Lynn Pascoe be demanded by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon?
He along with UNMIN Chief Karin Landgren willingly accepted a guard of honour from armed Maoist combatants in uniform at a camp under UN observation in Chitwan this week.
Pascoe left for New York after concluding a three-day visit.
The Maoists are still on the terrorist list of the USA, a permanent member of the UN security council which will debate the renewal of the UNMIN mandate which ends 15 May.
UN has been accused by the government for partial dealings in its Nepal mission.
Nepal Army which was never defeated by the Maosts wouldn’t give such an honour to a visiting UU official.
The Maoist honour for the UN officials comes amid charges UN isn’t impartial in its behaviour with the government and Maoist forces.
The UN officials could probably accept the honour from UN blue berets but certainly from rebel forces desirous of joining the state army.
Maoists are threatening to topple the government through rebellion and destroy the state army infrastructure.
The Nepali government and the US government have to take up the issue with the UN secretary-general at a time questions are being raised about UN’s neutrality in Nepal.
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