Mustafa Kemal ndiye aliyetoa wito wa kuchaguliwa kwa wajumbe wapya, na akautambua uhalali wa kikatiba wa bunge. Aliwaidhinisha wajumbe waliochaguliwa, na aliahidi kutii maamuzi ya bunge, ambalo lilikuwa limeivunja serikali ya zamani na kuikubali serikali ya sasa, kwa madai kwamba nchi iongozwe kwa utawala wa kikatiba. Licha ya haya yote, aliamua kutangaza tena uasi, baada ya kukata tamaa kabisa ya kunyakua madaraka kupitia bunge. Hivyo, alianza kuandaa vikosi na kujiandaa kwa vita.

Mustafa Kemal was the one who called for the election of new members and recognised the constitutionality of the assembly. He approved of the selected deputies, and he promised to abide by the resolutions of the assembly, who had dissolved the former government and accepted the current government, with the demands that the country should be governed through constitutional rule. Despite all this, he decided to declare the rebellion once again, after he had lost all hope of seizing power through parliament. Hence, he started to equip the troops and prepare for battle.

Silaha na fedha zilianza kumiminika kwake kutoka Istanbul kwa ujuzi kamili wa Kamishna Mkuu wa Uingereza na Kamishna Mkuu wa Ufaransa. Wote wawili walikuwa wakionyesha pingamizi lao kwa jina tu, lakini kwa ujumla walinyamaza kimya na kukataa kufichua chochote; hata tukio lenye umuhimu mkubwa zaidi kuliko hili lilitokea, nalo lilikuwa pale Mustafa Kemal alipokusanya malori yaliyojaa silaha na risasi katika rasi ya Gallipoli, chini kabisa ya pua ya Kamishna Mkuu wa Uingereza na licha ya ufuatiliaji wake.

Weapons and funds started to flow towards him from Istanbul with the full knowledge of the British High Commissioner and the French High Commissioner. They both used to nominally express their objection to this but they would generally keep silent and decline to reveal anything; even an incident far more significant than this occurred, which was when Mustafa Kemal gathered trucks full of weapons and ammunition in the peninsula of Gallipoli, right under the nose of the British High Commissioner and despite his surveillance.

Vita vya msituni vilizuka dhidi ya washirika, na Biria ilizingirwa na kulazimika kujisalimisha; hivyo waasi waliruhusu kikosi cha Kiitaliano kuondoka.

A guerrilla war broke out against the allies, and Biria was besieged and forced to capitulate, thus the rebels allowed the Italian garrison to evacuate.

Kisha upande wa mashariki wa Kilikia ukashambuliwa, na kikosi cha Wafaransa kikaondoka. London na Paris zilitoa wito wa kusitishwa kabisa kwa operesheni za kijeshi, lakini operesheni hizo ziliendelea kama zilivyokuwa.

Then the eastern side of Cilicia was attacked and the French garrison evacuated. London and Paris called for an absolute halt to the military operations, but these went on regardless as they were.

Tarehe 7 Machi 1920, washirika walimlazimisha Ali Ridha kujiuzulu; kwa hiyo aliwasilisha barua yake ya kujiuzulu na nafasi yake ikachukuliwa na Salih Pasha, ambaye alikuwa waziri wa jeshi la majini, na ambaye huko nyuma alikuwa amefikia makubaliano na Mustafa Kemal huko Amasia.

On 7th March 1920, the allies forced Ali Ridha to resign; thus he tendered his resignation and was replaced by Salih Pasha, who was the navy minister, and who had in the past struck a deal with Mustafa Kemal in “Amasia”.

Hivyo, aliendelea kuongoza serikali huku akijaribu kupunguza makali na kutuliza hali.

Hence, he proceeded in government while attempting to diffuse and pacify the situation.

Hata hivyo, tarehe 10 Machi 1920, Lord Curzon alitoa hotuba katika Baraza la Lords ambamo alisema: Washirika hawawezi tena kuvumilia kiwango cha kudharauliwa ambacho Wazungu wanalazimika kukivumilia huko Istanbul, wakati Wakristo wanaendelea kuteswa na kuuawa kila mahali.

However, on 10th March 1920, Lord Curzon delivered a speech in the House of Lords in which he said: “The a+llies can no longer tolerate the level of belittlement the Europeans are having to endure in Istanbul, while Christians are being persecuted and slaughtered all over the place.”

Kufuatia taarifa hii, bandari ya Golden Horn ilijazwa meli za kivita za Uingereza. Wafanyakazi wa Kiingereza waliondolewa kutoka Anatolia, na amri zikatolewa kwa kikosi kilichobaki cha Uingereza kuondoka haraka iwezekanavyo. Waingereza waliokuwa wakiishi Ankara waliondoka mjini kwa haraka.

In the wake of this statement, the harbour of Golden Horn was filled with British warships. British staff were evacuated from Anatolia and orders were issued to the remaining British garrison to evacuate as soon as possible. The British living in Ankara left the city in a hurry.

Spika wa bunge mjini Istanbul, Rauf Beik, alitangaza kwamba Waingereza walikusudia kuwakamata manaibu wa kizalendo na kurejesha serikali ya Damad Farid Pasha. Kwa sababu hiyo, Mustafa Kemal alituma ujumbe wa telegramu kwa manaibu wake, akiwasihi kwa nguvu wakimbie na wasijisalimishe kwa Waingereza, lakini wao walikataa kukimbia.

The speaker of parliament in Istanbul, Ra’uf Beik, declared that the British intended to arrest the nationalist deputies and to restore the government of Damad Farid Pasha. Hence, Mustafa Kemal telegraphed his deputies urging them vehemently to flee and not to surrender themselves to the British, but they refused to flee.

Mapema asubuhi ya tarehe 16 Machi 1920, hatua zote zilizolenga kuikalia kijeshi Istanbul na kuongeza udhibiti dhidi ya wakazi wa eneo hilo zilichukuliwa. Kazi hii ilikabidhiwa kwa Jenerali wa Uingereza Henry Wilson, ambaye alikuwa ameteuliwa mapema kuwa Kamanda Mkuu wa vikosi vya washirika.

In the early hours of 16th March 1920, all the measures aimed at occupying Istanbul militarily and at tightening the grip on the local residents were undertaken. This task was delegated to the British General Henry Wilson, who had been appointed earlier as the Commander in Chief of the allied forces.

Paris na Roma zilikubaliana kwamba serikali tatu za Uingereza, Ufaransa na Italia zinapaswa kushiriki katika kutekeleza vikwazo. Hata hivyo, ilikuwa Uingereza peke yake iliyotuma wanajeshi wake wa majini. Ufaransa na Italia zilipogundua kwamba Uingereza ilikuwa imefanikiwa kuidhibiti Istanbul, ziliingilia kati tena ili kuzuia mpango wa Uingereza ulio wazi, kwa lengo la kuhifadhi mizani ya nguvu ya kimataifa; hivyo zilidai kushiriki katika kuitawala nchi hiyo, lakini Waingereza hawakuziwezesha kufanya hivyo, wakatenda peke yao.

Paris and Rome agreed that the three governments of Britain, France and Italy should take part in imposing sanctions. However, it was Britain alone who dispatched her marines. When France and Italy realised that Britain had succeeded in occupying Istanbul, they intervened once again to block the categorically British initiative in order to preserve the international balance of power; thus they demanded to take part in ruling the country, but the British did not enable them to do so, and acted alone.

Sultani aliunga mkono hatua ambazo Waingereza walikuwa wamezichukua, na serikali ilitoa tamko la umma ambamo iliwasihi watu wadumishe utulivu, ikisema kwamba ni wajibu wao kufanya hivyo. Serikali ilianza tamko hilo kwa kusema: Wajibu muhimu zaidi wa kila raia wa Kituruki ni kutii amri za Sultani. Kwa sababu hiyo, umma na wanajeshi wa Kituruki walizama katika mazingira ya hofu, jambo ambalo nalo lilisababisha chuki ya watu dhidi ya Sultani na kuongezeka kwa mashambulizi dhidi yake kutoka pande zote. Kisha bunge lilivunjwa rasmi.

The Sultan backed the measures which the British had undertaken and the government issued a public communiqué in which it exhorted people to observe calm, stating that it was their duty to do so. The government began the communiqué by saying: “The most important duty of every Turkish citizen is to abide by the orders of the Sultan.” Consequently, the masses and the Turkish soldiers were engulfed in an atmosphere of terror which in turn led to people’s resentment of the Sultan and the intensification from all sides of the attacks upon him. Then parliament was officially dissolved.

Tarehe 5 Aprili 1920, Salih Pasha alijiuzulu, na Damad Ferid Pasha akaunda serikali mpya kwa ombi la Waingereza, kisha akaanza kutawala nchi kwa njia ya kidikteta. Bunge lilipovunjwa, yeye alikuwa mwenye mamlaka pekee, akaanza kuzingatia waziwazi maslahi ya Waingereza na kujaribu kuwavutia kwa njia mbalimbali, hadi akakaribia kuwa Mwingereza zaidi kuliko Waingereza wenyewe. Sultani hakuwa nyuma sana katika jitihada zake za kuwavutia Waingereza, na katika shambulio lake dhidi ya wafuasi wa Mustafa Kemal. Alimchochea Sheikh-ul-Islam kutoa fatwa dhidi yao, naye akafanya hivyo. Fatwa hiyo ilisema kwamba wanamapinduzi wote wa kizalendo ni miongoni mwa walaaniwa na miongoni mwa wale waliopotoka, na kwamba waumini miongoni mwa waja wa Allah wanapaswa kutangaza vita dhidi ya waasi hao. Wakati huo huo, amri ya kifalme ilitolewa ikiidhinisha fatwa hii na kuwahukumu Mustafa Kemal na wafuasi wake adhabu ya kifo.

On 5th April 1920, Salih Pasha resigned and Damad Ferid Pasha formed the new government at the request of the British and started ruling the country in a despotic manner. Once parliament had been dissolved, he became the sole power broker and started to openly take into account the British interests and attempt to win them over through various means, until he almost became more British than the British themselves. The Sultan was not too far behind in his attempt at winning the British over and in his attack on Mustafa Kemal’s followers. He incited Sheikh-ul-Islam to issue a fatwa against them and so he did. The fatwa stated that all the nationalists were from amongst the cursed ones and from amongst those who strayed, and that the believers from amongst Allah’s servants should declare war on those revolting insurgents. A Sultanic decree was simultaneously issued endorsing this fatwa and sentencing Mustafa Kemal and his supporters to capital punishment.

Katika kufuatia operesheni hizi, hali ilidhihirika kwamba kambi mbili zilitawala nchi: Waingereza upande mmoja, wakiungwa mkono na Khalifa na serikali, na chama cha Mustafa Kemal upande mwingine, kikiungwa mkono na wananchi wote. Hivyo, Mustafa Kemal alijikuta akipingana na serikali, na wananchi walimwona kuwa kiongozi wao dhidi ya Waingereza. Kwa hiyo, maoni ya umma yalikuwa upande wake, na maafisa wengi wa jeshi pamoja na watumishi wa serikali walikuwa upande wake. Basi, katika hali hii nzuri, alitumia fursa kutangaza kwa niaba ya Kamati ya Bunge, ambayo bado ilikuwepo na haikuwahi kuvunjwa, kwamba uchaguzi mpya ungefanyika, na kwamba bunge jipya lisingekuwa na uhusiano wowote na bunge la zamani. Pia kwamba lisingekuwa bunge la Kiothmani, bali chombo cha kutunga sheria cha kizalendo chenye mamlaka maalum. Ankara ilichaguliwa kuwa kitovu ambako vikao vya chombo hiki cha kizalendo vingefanyika.

In the light of these operations, the situation became apparent in that two camps dominated the country: the British on one side, backed by the Khaleefah and the government, and Mustafa Kemal’s party on the other side, backed by all the people. Hence, Mustafa Kemal became opposite to the government and people regarded him as their leader against the British. Therefore, public opinion was in his favour and most of the army officers and civil servants were on his side. So, amidst this favourable mood, he seized the opportunity to announce on behalf of the Parliamentary Committee, which was still in place and had never been dissolved, that fresh elections would be held and that the new parliament would have no connection with the old assembly. Also that it would not be an Ottoman parliament, but a nationalist legislative institution with exceptional powers. Ankara was selected as the centre where the sessions of this nationalist institution would be held.

Uchaguzi ulifanyika kwa kweli, lakini haukuwa uchaguzi halisi; ulikuwa zoezi la kawaida tu lililolenga kuunda mwonekano wa uchaguzi halali. Hali ya jumla ilikuwa kwamba hali iliyopo ilihitaji kuchaguliwa kwa Wakemalisti pekee, kwa kuwatenga wengine wote, ili wawe wawakilishi wa taifa. Hili kweli ndilo lilitokea, na hakuna mbunge mwingine isipokuwa Wakemalisti aliyechaguliwa.

Elections did effectively take place, but these were not genuine elections - they were rather a nominal exercise aimed at creating the appearance of legitimate elections. The general mood was that the status quo necessitated the election of the Kemalists only, to the exclusion of all others, so they become the representatives of the nation. This indeed was the case and no other deputy apart from the Kemalists was elected.

Tarehe 23 Aprili 1920, mkutano wa wazalendo ulifanyika mjini Ankara. Kikao cha ufunguzi kilipangwa kwa makusudi kufanyika siku ya Ijumaa.

On 23rd April 1920, the nationalist conference was held in Ankara. The inaugural session was deliberately scheduled to take place on a Friday.

Hivyo, Mustafa Kemal alianzisha chombo cha serikali huko Ankara.

And so, Mustafa Kemal established a government apparatus in Ankara.

Pia alianzisha jeshi la kudumu na idara kadhaa za serikali.

He also established a regular army and several government departments.

Pia alileta chapa na timu ya waandishi wa habari. Gazeti liitwalo Hakmit Milla lilichapishwa, na Mustafa Kemal aliiandaa Ankara kuwa kitovu cha serikali na mji mkuu wa nchi. Alianza kuweka misingi ya jamhuri ya Kituruki. Hata hivyo, alichukua hatua hii kwa tahadhari kubwa na usiri kamili, kwa kujifanya kuwa mapambano yake yalikuwa mapambano dhidi ya uvamizi wa kigeni, na kwamba vita vyake vilikuwa vita dhidi ya wavamizi. Alikuwa akihalalisha matendo yake kwa madai kwamba anaitetea nchi, na aliwaambia Wazungu kupitia taarifa rasmi ambamo alisema: Mnaweza kuzivamia nchi zote za Kiarabu na kuivamia Syria, lakini sitaruhusu mvamie Uturuki. Tunadai tu haki ambayo kila taifa linapaswa kuifurahia. Tunataka kuwa taifa huru ndani ya mipaka yetu ya asili ya kitaifa. Hatukubali hata karati moja pungufu ya hilo. Wakati wa na baada ya kuzinduliwa kwa Bunge la Kitaifa, alitangaza: Hatua zote zitakazochukuliwa zitalenga kudumisha Ukhalifa na Usultani, na kumwondoa Sultani na nchi kutoka utumwa wa Magharibi. Kisha alitoa taarifa aliposema: Kwa kuwa Sultani ni mfungwa wa nchi za Magharibi zinazodhibiti mji mkuu kama zinavyotaka, hivyo yeye si mtawala huru, wala hana mamlaka yoyote kabisa. Kwa hiyo, Bunge Kuu la Kitaifa linakwenda kuchukua kwa muda uendeshaji wa mambo ya nchi. Kutokana na hilo, kamati tendaji iliundwa na kukabidhiwa jukumu la kuendesha mambo ya nchi. Ilikuwa na mawaziri kumi na moja waliochaguliwa na Bunge la Kitaifa, na Mustafa Kemal alichaguliwa kuwa rais wake. Kabla ya hapo, alikuwa amechaguliwa kuwa spika wa Bunge la Kitaifa, baada ya hapo Kanali Ismat Pasha alijiunga na serikali.

He also brought a press and a team of journalists. A newspaper called Hakmit Milla was published and Mustafa Kemal prepared Ankara to become the government centre and the capital of the country. He set about laying the foundations of the Turkish republic. However, he undertook this initiative with extreme caution and total secrecy by pretending that his struggle was a struggle against foreign occupation and that his war was a war against the occupiers. He used to justify his actions by claiming that he was defending the country and used to address the Europeans through official statements in which he would say: “You can occupy all the Arab countries and occupy Syria, but I shall not allow you to occupy Turkey. We are only claiming a right which every single nation should enjoy. We want to be a free nation within our natural national borders. We do not accept one carat less than that.” During and after the inauguration of the National Assembly, he declared: “All the measures to be taken would be aimed at maintaining the Khilafah and the Sultanate and at ridding the Sultan and the country from Western slavery.” He then gave a statement in which he said: “Since the Sultan is prisoner of the Western countries who control the capital as they please, thus he is not a free sovereign, nor does he enjoy any sovereignty whatsoever. Therefore, the Supreme National Assembly is going to assume temporarily the running of the country’s affairs.” Consequently, an executive committee was set up and delegated with the task of running the country’s affairs. It was formed of eleven ministers elected by the National Assembly, and Mustafa Kemal was voted as its president. Prior to this, he had been elected as speaker of the National Assembly, whereafter Colonel Ismat Pasha joined the government.

Sultani alituma kikosi kazi hadi Ankara, kikiongozwa na maafisa waaminifu kwake.

The Sultan dispatched a task force to Ankara led by officers loyal to him.

Majeshi yalisonga kuelekea kaskazini-magharibi ya Asia Ndogo. Watu wengi wa kujitolea walijiunga na kikosi kazi, na Sultani alituma baadhi ya wafuasi wake hadi Kurdistan ili kuchochea makabila ya eneo hilo. Kisha akaanza kuihimiza Ummah yote kulinda kiti cha enzi na Khilafah. Utiifu kwa Khaleefah bado ulikuwa imara kiasi kwamba amri zake zilipokelewa kwa heshima, na utii kwake ulichukuliwa kuwa ni utii kwa Allah (SWT), huku kutomtii kulichukuliwa kuwa ni kutomtii Allah (SWT). Hivyo basi, mikoa yote ilijiunga na Khaleefah, ingawa baadhi yake ziliasi dhidi ya serikali ya Ankara. Jeshi la Khaleefah lilifanikiwa kuchukua mateka mgawanyiko mzima wa Kemalist.

The troops marched towards the north-west of Asia Minor. Many volunteers joined the task force and the Sultan sent some of his supporters to Kurdistan in order to incite the tribes in that region. Then he started to exhort the whole Ummah to defend the throne and the Khilafah. Loyalty to the Khaleefah was still strong to the point that his orders were met with respect and his obedience was considered to be an obedience to Allah (swt), while his disobedience was considered to be a disobedience to Allah (swt). Hence, all the provinces joined the Khaleefah while some of them revolted against the Ankara government. The army of the Khaleefah succeeded in taking a whole Kemalist division as prisoners.

Mapigano kati ya majeshi hayo mawili yaliendelea katika mwezi wote wa Mei 1920, na jeshi la Sultani liliweza kuwashinda vikosi vya Mustafa Kemal kila mahali. Mikoa yote ilijiunga na Khalifa, na wananchi walikuwa upande wake, isipokuwa Ankara, ambayo ilikuwa kitovu cha uasi. Ankara yenyewe ilikuwa karibu kuanguka, kwa sababu vijiji vya jirani vilikuwa vikija chini ya bendera ya Sultani moja baada ya jingine na kujiunga na jeshi la Khalifa.

Battles between the two armies went on throughout the month of May 1920 and the Sultan’s army managed to rout Mustafa Kemal’s forces everywhere. All the provinces joined the Khaleefah and the masses were on his side, apart from Ankara, which was the centre of the rebellion. Ankara itself was about to fall, for the neighbouring villages were coming under the Sultan’s banner one after the other and joining the Khaleefah’s army.

Mustafa Kemal na wafuasi wake huko Ankara walikuwa katika hali mbaya sana, na huko Ankara yenyewe, kukata tamaa kuliingia mioyoni mwa wale waliokuwa pamoja naye, nao wakafikiria kujisalimisha kwa Khalifa na kujiunga naye. Maisha ya Mustafa Kemal yalikuwa yananing'inia kwa uzi, naye alikuwa karibu kuangamizwa.

Mustafa Kemal and his supporters in Ankara were in dire straits, and in Ankara itself, despair crept in the hearts of those who were with him and they contemplated surrendering to the Khaleefah and joining him. Mustafa Kemal’s life was hanging by a thread and he was on the verge of being destroyed.

Wakati huo huo, masharti ya mapatano ya kusitisha vita yaliyokuwa yametiwa saini mwaka mmoja na nusu kabla huko Paris, yanayojulikana kama Mkataba wa Sèvres, ambayo Sultani aliyakubali na Waziri Mkuu Damad Farid Pasha aliyatia saini, yalitangazwa. Masharti haya yalikuwa yamefichwa na wananchi wa Uturuki hawakujua chochote kuyahusu. Sasa yalitangazwa katika Uturuki yote. Kwa sababu hiyo, maoni ya umma yalighadhibika katika kila sehemu ya nchi, dhidi ya Khalifah na dhidi ya Waziri Mkuu Damad Farid Pasha.

Precisely at that moment, the terms of truce which had been signed a year and a half before in Paris, known as the Treaty of Sèvres which the Sultan had accepted and the Prime Minister Damad Farid Pasha had signed, were broadcast. These terms had been kept secret and the Turkish people knew nothing about them. They were now broadcast all over Turkey . Hence, public opinion was outraged in every part of the country, against the Khaleefah and against the Prime Minister Damad Farid Pasha.

Wakati hasira ilipokuwa imefikia kilele chake, Waziri Mkuu wa Uingereza Lloyd George, alitoa tangazo katika Bunge la Uingereza akisema: Lengo la washirika ni kuzikomboa mataifa yasiyo ya Kituruki kutoka kwenye nira ya Waturuki. Tangazo hili pia lilisambazwa miongoni mwa umma, jambo lililosababisha hasira kuongezeka, na chuki ikaelekezwa kwa Waingereza na vibaraka wao, Khalifa na Waziri Mkuu wake Damad Farid Pasha.

When the outrage was at his highest, the British Prime Minister Lloyd George, made an announcement in the House of Parliament saying: “The aim of the allies is to liberate the non-Turkish nations from the Turkish yoke.” This announcement was also circulated amongst the masses, causing the outrage to intensify, and the resentment became directed at the British and their puppets, the Khaleefah and his Prime Minister Damad Farid Pasha.

Hivyo, hali ilibadilika kabisa, na watu wakaanza kumwacha Khalifa na kujiunga na Mustafa Kemal. Maeneo yote yaliyoasi dhidi ya Mustafa Kemal yalisafishwa kutoka jeshi la Khalifa na kutoka kwa wale waliopinga Mustafa Kemal. Jeshi la Khalifa lilishindwa vibaya, na nguvu za Sultani zikapungua. Watu waliapa kulipiza kisasi dhidi ya Damad Farid Pasha, aliyetia saini Mkataba na kuisalimisha nchi. Kwa sababu hiyo, Ankara ilirejesha udhibiti wa hali hiyo, na watu wote wakaungana na Mustafa Kemal. Walimwona kuwa mkombozi kutoka uvamizi, na akarejeshwa kama kiongozi wa nchi. Mkataba huu uliwakasirisha Waturuki, kwani ulimaanisha mwisho wa Dola ya Ottoman na mgawanyiko wake miongoni mwa Wazungu, au kuvunjwa kwake kuwa wilaya kadhaa huru. Hivyo Uturuki ingegeuzwa kuwa nchi ndogo ndani ya Asia Ndogo, na Istanbul, mji mkuu wa Uturuki na njia yake pekee ya kuingia Ulaya, ingewekwa chini ya mamlaka ya kimataifa.

In this way, the situation was turned upside down and people started to drift away from the Khaleefah and join Mustafa Kemal. The areas which revolted against Mustafa Kemal were all purged from the Khaleefah’s army and from those who were opposed to Mustafa Kemal. The Khaleefah’s army was heavily defeated and the Sultan’s power was diminished. People were vowing to seek revenge from Damad Farid Pasha who had signed the Treaty and surrendered the country. Consequently, Ankara regained control of the situation and all people sided with Mustafa Kemal. They considered him to be the saviour from occupation and he was restored as the leader of the country. This Treaty incensed the Turks, for it meant the end of the Ottoman Empire and its division amongst the Europeans, or its fragmentation into several independent Wilayas, thus turning Turkey into a small country within Asia Minor and bringing Istanbul, the capital of Turkey and her only passage to Europe under an international mandate.