Mustafa Kemal alijizuia kufanya shughuli nyingine yoyote isipokuwa kueneza mawazo yake na kukusanya wafuasi hadi Mei 1919, wakati zamu yake ilipofika, na washirika wakaanza kufanya kazi kwa mtindo tofauti ili kufikia lengo lao, yaani kuitenganisha Uturuki na sehemu nyingine za Dola ya Othmani, kuiharibu Khilafah na kuanzisha jamhuri ya Kituruki.

Mustafa Kemal refrained from undertaking any other activity apart from spreading his thoughts and gathering supporters until May 1919, when his turn came and the allies started working in a different style to achieve their objective, i.e that of separating Turkey from the other parts of the Ottoman State, destroying the Khilafah and establishing a Turkish republic.

Jaribio hili lilifanyika mara moja baada ya juhudi zao za kusababisha mgogoro wa kisiasa na kuweka mawakala wao madarakani kwa njia halali na za kisheria kushindwa. Vitendo vyao vilikuwa vya kisiasa, vya kimataifa na vya kimapinduzi. Kilichowasukuma ni kuendelea kwa Italia kutaka kunyakua Cilicia kama sehemu ya nyara zake. Hivyo, Uingereza ilitambua kwamba mradi tu haifanyi kazi kutoka ndani ya Uturuki yenyewe dhidi ya washirika, haitaweza kutekeleza mpango wake nchini Uturuki na kuwafukuza wapinzani wake, Ufaransa na Italia, kutoka katika nafasi za kimkakati za Uturuki. Mara tu Italia ilipoukalia mji wa Antalia na mashamba yanayouzunguka mnamo Aprili 1919, na mara baada ya kuukalia Fayum, ambao ulikuwa sehemu ya Yugoslavia, ilijaribu kuukalia Izmir kwa niaba ya Washirika.

This took place once their endeavours to cause a political crisis and place their agents in power through legitimate and legal means had failed. Their actions were political, international and revolutionary. What prompted them was Italy’s persistence to seize Cilicia as part of her spoils. Hence, Britain realised that as long as she does not operate from within Turkey proper against the allies, she would not be able to execute her plan in Turkey and chase her opponents, France and Italy, from Turkey’s strategic positions. Once Italy had occupied the city of Antalia and the surrounding estates in April 1919, and once she had occupied Fayum, which was part of Yugoslavia, she attempted to occupy Izmir on behalf of the Allies.

Uingereza na Ufaransa walipinga hatua yake hiyo na waliamua kukabiliana naye na kumzuia asiteke Izmir wala ukanda wa pwani ya magharibi ya Anatolia.

Britain and France opposed her move and decided to confront her and prevent her from occupying Izmir or the western coastline of Anatolia.

Kisha wakaanza kupinga kuikalia kwake Antalia, wakisema kwamba hilo lingempa udhibiti wa upande wa mashariki wa Bahari ya Mediterania. Mkataba uliokuwa umetiwa saini kati ya Uingereza, Ufaransa, Italia na Urusi, ambao uliidhinisha kukaliwa kwa Izmir na pwani ya magharibi na Italia, ulichukuliwa kuwa batili kwa sababu Urusi ilikuwa imejiondoa kwenye vita na haikuwahi kuutia saini. Kisha wakaweka mpango wao wa Ugiriki kuikalia Izmir.

Then they started objecting to her occupation of Antalia arguing that this would give her control over the eastern side of the Mediterranean. The treaty that had been signed between Britain, France, Italy and Russia, endorsing Italy’s occupation of Izmir and the western coastline, was considered null and void because Russia had withdrawn form the war and never signed it. They then laid their plan for Greece to occupy Izmir.

Walianza kutekeleza mpango huu upande mmoja. Upande mwingine, Uingereza wakati huo huo ilidai kwamba ghasia zilikuwa zimezuka huko Anatolia, ndani ya Asia Ndogo, na kwamba wizi, uporaji na nyang'anyi zilikuwa zimeenea na kuongezeka kwa kutisha. Pia ilidai kwamba vikosi vya usalama vilikuwa vikizunguka nchi bila lengo, ikisisitiza kwamba sheria na utulivu lazima vidumishwe na kwamba mbinu kali ilihitajika kushughulikia wale waliovunja usalama. Kwa hiyo, Uingereza ilidai kutoka kwa serikali ya Istanbul impeleke mtu mwenye nguvu katika majimbo ya mashariki na kumkabidhi kazi ya kurejesha sheria na utulivu na kuimarisha tena mamlaka ya serikali.

They set about executing this plan on the one hand. On the other hand, Britain simultaneously claimed that disturbances had broken out in Anatolia, inside Asia Minor, and that robberies, looting and pillaging had become widespread and that it was on an alarming increase. She claimed also that the security forces had been roaming the country aimlessly, streesing that law and order must be observed and that a heavy handed approach was required to deal with those who breached security. Hence, Britain demanded from the government in Istanbul to send a strong man to the eastern provinces and assign to him the task of restoring law and order and re-establishing the government’s authority.

Alipendekeza pia kwa njia isiyo rasmi kwamba Mustafa Kemal achukue nafasi hiyo.

She also unofficially recommended Mustafa Kemal to assume this role.

Wizara ya vita ilifikiwa kuhusu suala hili, na Jawad Pasha, Mshauri Mkuu katika wizara ya vita, aliidhinisha. Yeye hakujua lolote kuhusu Mustafa Kemal, lakini waziri wa vita alikuwa na shaka juu ya nia za Kemal, kwa kuwa alikuwa anafahamu mipango yake. Hata hivyo, alikubali mara moja na kumweleza Mustafa Kemal habari hizo. Mustafa Kemal alijibu kwamba ili uchunguzi wa haraka ufanyike na hatua zinazofaa zitekelezwe wakati ghasia zikienea katika majimbo ya mashariki, ni lazima apewe mamlaka makubwa na maamuzi yake yawe ya lazima. Wizara ilikubali madai yake yote.

The war ministry was approached pertaining this issue and Jawad Pasha, the Senior Adviser at the war ministry, approved. He knew nothing of Mustafa Kemal, but the war minister was suspicious of Kemal’s intentions, for he was aware of his plans. Nevertheless, he immediately agreed and broke the news to Mustafa Kemal, who replied that for a speedy investigation to be carried out and for the appropriate measures to be executed while unrest was rampant in the eastern provinces, this would inevitably require that he be given wide powers and for his decisions to be binding. The ministry agreed to all his demands.

Mustafa Kemal alikuwa kimya na mtulivu hadi wakati huo. Hakuna aliyejua kwamba alikuwa na hisia za uadui dhidi ya Sultani na serikali, kwani alikuwa akiwakusanya wafuasi wake kwa siri kabisa. Hamu yake ya kupata mamlaka makubwa ya lazima ilimfanya akatae maagizo aliyopewa mwanzoni. Aliyapitia na kuyaandika upya katika muundo uliobuniwa kufikia lengo alilokusudia. Baada ya kuyapitia maagizo hayo, alimwasilisha Waziri Mkuu muundo wake mwenyewe, ambaye aliutia saini bila kuyakagua. Kisha alimpelekea Waziri wa Vita, ambaye mwanzoni alisita kisha akatia saini. Nakala zilitumwa kwa Kamishna Mkuu wa Uingereza, kwa Harrington, Kamanda Mkuu wa majeshi ya washirika, na kwa maafisa wote wa majeshi ya washirika.

Mustafa Kemal had been up until then silent and calm. No one knew that he harboured feelings of hostility towards the Sultan and the government, for he used to gather supporters in total secrecy. His eagerness to acquire wide mandatory powers led him to reject the instructions handed to him at first. He reviewed them and wrote them anew in a format designed to achieve the goal he was aiming for. Having reviewed the instructions, he then presented his own format to the Prime Minister who signed it without checking them. He then took them to the war minister who at first hesitated and then signed. Copies were dispatched to the British High Commissioner, to Harrington, the General Commander of the allied forces, and to all the officers of the allied forces.

Inafaa kutajwa kwamba Uingereza peke yake ndiyo nchi pekee iliyoonyesha wasiwasi wa kupindukia na hamu ya kuzima machafuko hayo. Kwa upande wa Ufaransa, yenyewe haikutarajia kuzuka kwa vurugu zozote za kutisha katika dola hii iliyoshindwa, kwa hiyo haikuzipa umuhimu wowote.

What is worth mentioning is that Britain alone was the only country to show excessive concern and desire to quell the unrest. As for France, she never expected the breakout of any alarming disturbances in this vanquished empire, hence she did not pay them any attention.

Hata hivyo, mara tu Mustafa Kemal alipopewa maagizo yake, na mara alipokuwa amepata mamlaka yote aliyoyataka, alisafiri kwa meli kuelekea Anatolia. Aliondoka Istanbul tarehe 15 Mei kwa kutumia meli ndogo ya Anipoli, akitumaini kufika Samsun kupitia Bahari Nyeusi.

Nevertheless, once Mustafa Kemal was given his instructions, and once he had secured all the mandatory powers he had wanted, he set sail for Anatolia and left Istanbul on 15th May aboard the small ship Anipoli, hoping to reach Samsun via the Black Sea.

Wakati huo huo, katika wiki ya pili ya Aprili 1919, serikali ya Ottoman ilipewa taarifa kwamba kulingana na kifungu cha saba kinachohusu masharti ya usitishaji mapigano, washirika walikuwa karibu kuutekeleza uvamizi wao wa Izmir, na kwamba kwa mujibu wa kifungu hiki, walihifadhi haki ya kutekeleza hilo wakati wowote maslahi yao yatakapotishiwa. Kwa hiyo, Waziri Mkuu Damad Farid Pasha alitoa maagizo yake kwa Wali wa Izmir. Alisisitiza haja ya kuweka majeshi ndani ya kambi zao, na akamlazimisha kwa nguvu kupiga marufuku maandamano yoyote ambayo wenyeji wanaweza kuyafanya.

Meanwhile, in the second week of April 1919, the Ottoman government was briefed that according to the seventh article pertaining to the terms of the truce, the allies were about to carry out their occupation of Izmir, and that according to this article, they reserved the right to execute this whenever their interests were threatened. Therefore, the Prime Minister Damad Farid Pasha gave his instructions to the Wali of Izmir. He emphasised the need to keep the armies inside their barracks and forced him to ban by force any demonstration which the locals may hold.

Tarehe 14 Mei 1919, meli ya Uingereza ilionekana karibu na pwani ya Izmir. Kamanda wa meli hiyo, Admiral Colthorpe, alimwambia Wali ajitayarishe kwa ajili ya majeshi ya washirika ambayo yalikuwa karibu kushuka pwani. Kisha alimwita Wali amkute. Alipofika, alimwambia: "Nimesikia tu kwamba ni Wagiriki ndio watakaoshuka pwani na kuikalia Izmir." Wali alivunjika moyo sana na akamtazama Admiral kwa kutoamini. Hakuweza kuzuia machozi, yakaanza kutiririka kwa wingi, akasema huku donge likimkaba kooni na kwa sauti iliyoonyesha udhalilifu na kukata tamaa: "Wagiriki! Wagiriki wamekuja kuikalia Izmir?" Admiral alijibu: "Hizi ndizo amri nilizopokea kutoka Paris." Wali akasema: "Mimi sina jukumu, wala siwezi kutabiri kitakachotokea." Kamanda akamwambia: "Haiwezekani kwa mtu mwingine yeyote isipokuwa Wagiriki kuikalia Izmir. Je, unaelewa?" Hapo Wali akamwambia: "Ninahitaji askari wenu mia tatu tu ili kuwahakikishia Waislamu na kuwathibitishia kwamba uvamizi unafanywa na washirika, si Wagiriki, na kwamba uvamizi huu ni wa muda badala ya kuwa wa kudumu." Kamanda alijibu: "Haiwezekani." Kisha akamaliza mazungumzo.

On 14th May 1919, the British fleet was seen inshore around Izmir. The commander of the fleet, Admiral Colthorpe, told the Wali to be ready for the allied forces who were about to disembark. Then he summoned the Wali to meet him. When he arrived he said to him : “I have just heard that it will be the Greeks who will be disembarking and occupying Izmir.” The Wali was devastated and looked at the Admiral in disbelief. He could not hold back the tears, so they started flowing profusely and he said with a lump in his throat and in a voice expressing humiliation and dejection : “The Greeks! The Greeks have come to occupy Izmir?” The Admiral replied : “These are the orders I received from Paris.” The Wali said : “I am not responsible and I cannot predict what will happen.” The commander said to him : “It is impossible for other than the Greeks to occupy Izmir. Do you understand?” Upon this the Wali said to him : “I only need three hundred of your soldiers to reassure the Muslims and to prove to them that the occupation is carried out by the allies and not the Greeks, and that this occupation is temporary rather than permanent.” The Commander replied : “Impossible.” Then he ended the conversation.

Kutokana na telegramu hii, Wali wa Sinop aliondolewa kwenye wadhifa wake, na telegramu zikabadilishana kati ya Waziri Mkuu, aliyekuwa akitenda kwa niaba ya Sultani, na Mustafa Kemal. Sultani alisisitiza kwamba Mustafa Kemal arudi mara moja. Hata hivyo, Mustafa Kemal alikataa na kutuma telegramu ambamo alisema: Nitabaki Anatolia hadi uhuru wa nchi utakapopatikana. Kukataa huku kwa wazi kulikuwa hatua ya kwanza kuelekea uasi; naye akaendelea kukusanya watu na kuzunguka Anatolia hadi alipoliwasha uasi huo.

As a result of this telegram, the Wali of Sinop was dismissed from his post and telegrams were exchanged between the Prime Minister, acting on behalf of the Sultan, and Mustafa Kemal, with the Sultan insisting that Mustafa Kemal should return immediately. However, Mustafa Kemal refused and sent a telegram in which he said : “I shall remain in Anatolia until the country’s independence is achieved.” This flagrant refusal was the first step towards the rebellion; and he went on gathering people and roaming about Anatolia until he had flared up the rebellion.

Hivi ndivyo Mustafa Kemal alivyoanzisha uasi wake, ambao ulimalizika kwa kufutwa kwa Ukhalifa na kutengwa kwa Uturuki kutoka sehemu nyingine za Dola ya Ottoman, au kwa mujibu wa Wazungu, kuangamizwa kwa Dola ya Ottoman. Kutokana na matukio haya peke yake, mtu anaweza kuhitimisha bila shaka yoyote kwamba ni Waingereza ndio walioanzisha kila kitu ili kuchochea uasi huu, na kwamba ndio waliomtuma Mustafa Kemal kuutekeleza. Kwani ndio waliodai kwamba kulikuwa na machafuko katika mikoa ya mashariki, ndio waliotaka Mustafa Kemal aende kuyadhibiti machafuko hayo, ndio waliowahamasisha Wagiriki kuukalia Izmir chini ya ulinzi na himaya ya meli yao ya kivita, na kufanya uchochezi kama huo. Pia ni Waingereza waliomleta Mustafa Kemal Izmir, licha ya maombi ya mamlaka za Ottoman kwamba arudi, na waliotayarisha njia ya yeye kuzitumia mara moja uchochezi huo na kuanza kukusanya watu karibu yake. Matukio haya yanasema mengi na yanaonyesha waziwazi ukweli wa mwisho ambao kila mtu anaweza kuuonyesha kwa kidole.

This is how Mustafa Kemal started his rebellion which ended in the abolishment of the Khilafah and the severance of Turkey from the other parts of the Ottoman State, or according to the Westerners, the destruction of the Ottoman Empire. From these events alone, one can conclude without any shade of a doubt that it was the British who had initiated everything to flare up this rebellion, and that it was they who had sent Mustafa Kemal to carry it out. For it was they who claimed that there had been disturbances in the eastern provinces, it was they who demanded that Mustafa Kemal should go to quell the disturbances, it was they who inspired the Greeks to occupy Izmir, under the guardianship and protection of their fleet, and to carry out such provocations. Also it was the British who had brought Mustafa Kemal to Izmir, despite the Ottoman authorities’ pleas for him to return, and who paved the way for him to immediately take advantage of those provocations and start gathering people around him. These events speak volumes and indicate most conspicuously the conclusive truth which everyone can put their finger on.