United People's Front of Nepal
Encyclopedia
The United People's Front of Nepal, ( Sanyukta Janamorcha Nepal or SJM) was the mass front of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre)
.
as its chairman. Except for the CPN(UC), the Nepal Workers Peasants Organisation and the Nepal Marxist-Leninist Party (later CPN(MLM)) took part in the formation. Both factions did however leave the Front rather soon, the NWPO left just before the 1991. After the SJM was restructured on August 17, 1991, the CPN(MLM) left it. The CPN(MLM) cited that the Front has become a mere 'rubber stamp
' of CPN(UC).
government, SJM and CPN(UC) stepped up their political agitation. A Joint People's Agitation Committee was set up together with the Communist Party of Nepal (Masal)
, the Nepal Communist League
and the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
. A general strike
was called for April 6.
Violent incidents began to occur on the evening ahead of the strike. The Joint People's Agitation Committee had called for a 30-minute 'lights out' in the capital, and violent erupted outside Bir Hospital
when activists tried to enforce the 'lights out'. At dawn on April 6, clashes between strike activists and police outside a police station in Pulchok (Patan) left two activists dead.
Later in the day, a mass rally of the Agitation Committee at Tundikhel in the capital Kathmandu was attacked by police forces. As a result riots broke out, and the Nepal Telecommunications building was set on fire. Police opened fire at the crowd, killing several persons. The Human Rights Organisation of Nepal estimated that 14 people, including several on-lookers, had been killed in police firing.
Ahead of the elections to local bodies the year SJM formed a front together with the Nepal Workers Peasants Party
, Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
, Communist Party of Nepal (15 September 1949)
and Nepal Communist League
. SJM obtained one deputy mayor, 8 (1.34%) municipal committee seats and around 5% of the seats in the Village Development Committees.
before the King of Nepal took power, 3 and 16 May 1999, the SJM won 0.86 % of the popular vote and 1 out of 205 seats. In total, it had 40 candidates.
When CPN(UC) merged with Communist Party of Nepal (Masal)
in 2002, SJM merged with Rashtriya Jana Morcha (the front of CPN(Masal)) and formed the People's Front, Nepal.
Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre)
Communist Party of Nepal , was a communist party in Nepal. CPN was formed on November 19-20 1990, through the merger of Communist Party of Nepal , Communist Party of Nepal , Proletarian Workers Organisation and Communist Party of Nepal . Soon thereafter a group led by Dr...
.
Formation
SJM was founded in 1991, with Dr. Baburam BhattaraiBaburam Bhattarai
Dr. Baburam Bhattarai is a Nepalese politician who became the 35th Prime Minister of Nepal in August 2011. He is a senior Standing Committee Member and vice chairperson of Unified Communist Party of Nepal . His party started a revolutionary People's War in Nepal in 1996 that ultimately led to the...
as its chairman. Except for the CPN(UC), the Nepal Workers Peasants Organisation and the Nepal Marxist-Leninist Party (later CPN(MLM)) took part in the formation. Both factions did however leave the Front rather soon, the NWPO left just before the 1991. After the SJM was restructured on August 17, 1991, the CPN(MLM) left it. The CPN(MLM) cited that the Front has become a mere 'rubber stamp
Rubber stamp
Rubber stamping, also called stamping, is a craft in which some type of ink made of dye or pigment is applied to an image or pattern that has been carved, molded, laser engraved or vulcanized, onto a sheet of rubber. The rubber is often mounted onto a more stable object such as a wood, brick or an...
' of CPN(UC).
1991 general election
In the elections in the country held in 1991, SJM won nine seats and became the third largest force in the parliament.1992 general strike and municipal election
In 1992, in a situation of economic crisis and chaos, with spiralling prices as a result of implementation of changes in policy of the new CongressNepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
government, SJM and CPN(UC) stepped up their political agitation. A Joint People's Agitation Committee was set up together with the Communist Party of Nepal (Masal)
Communist Party of Nepal (Masal)
Communist Party of Nepal , was a communist party in Nepal. CPN was formed in 1983, following a split in the Communist Party of Nepal...
, the Nepal Communist League
Nepal Communist League
Nepal Communist League was a communist organisation in Nepal. NCL was led by Shambhuram Shrestha. Shrestha, who had been a central secretariat member of the original Communist Party of Nepal, broke away from Man Mohan Adhikari's faction in the mid-1970s....
and the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
Communist Party of Nepal , was a minor communist party in Nepal. The party was as founded in 1981 by Krishna Das Shrestha. Initially it was known as the Nepal Marxist-Leninist Party...
. A general strike
Hartal
Hartal is a term in many Indian languages for strike action, used often during the Indian Independence Movement. It is mass protest often involving a total shutdown of workplaces, offices, shops, courts of law as a form of civil disobedience...
was called for April 6.
Violent incidents began to occur on the evening ahead of the strike. The Joint People's Agitation Committee had called for a 30-minute 'lights out' in the capital, and violent erupted outside Bir Hospital
Bir Hospital
Bir Hospital is the oldest and one of the busiest hospitals in Nepal. It was established in July 1889 by Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana. It is located at the center of Kathmandu city. The hospital is run by the National Academy of Medical Sciences, a government agency since 2003.The hospital...
when activists tried to enforce the 'lights out'. At dawn on April 6, clashes between strike activists and police outside a police station in Pulchok (Patan) left two activists dead.
Later in the day, a mass rally of the Agitation Committee at Tundikhel in the capital Kathmandu was attacked by police forces. As a result riots broke out, and the Nepal Telecommunications building was set on fire. Police opened fire at the crowd, killing several persons. The Human Rights Organisation of Nepal estimated that 14 people, including several on-lookers, had been killed in police firing.
Ahead of the elections to local bodies the year SJM formed a front together with the Nepal Workers Peasants Party
Nepal Workers Peasants Party
Nepal Workers Peasants Party is a communist political party in Nepal. The party president is Narayan Man Bijukchhe alias 'Comrade Rohit'. NWPP has a strong base in the Bhaktapur area, but limited presence otherwise...
, Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
Communist Party of Nepal , was a minor communist party in Nepal. The party was as founded in 1981 by Krishna Das Shrestha. Initially it was known as the Nepal Marxist-Leninist Party...
, Communist Party of Nepal (15 September 1949)
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist) (1991)
Communist Party of Nepal was a Nepalese political party. It was formed on November 1, 1991 by a group of former leaders of the original Communist Party of Nepal that had been expelled from the Communist Party of Nepal...
and Nepal Communist League
Nepal Communist League
Nepal Communist League was a communist organisation in Nepal. NCL was led by Shambhuram Shrestha. Shrestha, who had been a central secretariat member of the original Communist Party of Nepal, broke away from Man Mohan Adhikari's faction in the mid-1970s....
. SJM obtained one deputy mayor, 8 (1.34%) municipal committee seats and around 5% of the seats in the Village Development Committees.
Split ahead of the 1994 election
When CPN(UC) split in 1994, so did SJM on May 22. The hardline faction (which would later rename itself as Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in 1996) under the leadership of Prachandra and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai launched a parallel SJM. The mainstream group, led by Niranjan Govinda Vidya and Nirmal Lama was the one accorded the recognition by the Election Commission to the name SJM. On July 14 the Vidya/Lama-led SJM held its convention and decided to participate in upcoming elections.Evolution of the Lama-led SJM
At the last legislative electionsElections in Nepal
Elections in Nepal gives information on election and election results in Nepal.In the 1990 constitution the Parliament had two chambers. The House of Representatives had 205 members elected for five year term in single-seat constituencies in 1991, 1994 and 1999...
before the King of Nepal took power, 3 and 16 May 1999, the SJM won 0.86 % of the popular vote and 1 out of 205 seats. In total, it had 40 candidates.
When CPN(UC) merged with Communist Party of Nepal (Masal)
Communist Party of Nepal (Masal)
Communist Party of Nepal , was a communist party in Nepal. CPN was formed in 1983, following a split in the Communist Party of Nepal...
in 2002, SJM merged with Rashtriya Jana Morcha (the front of CPN(Masal)) and formed the People's Front, Nepal.