The Wafd requested the British High Commissioner, Reginald Wingate, to allow members of the party to attend the Paris Peace Conference in order to appeal for Egypt’s right to self-determination.  This was in accordance with the principle newly declared by the American President, Woodrow Wilson on the right for all people to have self-determination.

Wingate, however, refused to give them permission, claiming that they did not represent the Egyptian people in any official capacity.

Therefore, Zaghloul printed up thousands of Powers of Attorneys to be signed by ordinary Egytptians and distributed nationwide.

Zaghloul sent a telegram to President Wilson requesting his support of the Egyptian cause. Meanwhile, the Powers of Attorney Campaign proved a huge success.

A series of telegrams were delivered to the Sultani Diwan with thousands of signatures expressing support of Zaghloul .

As a result, Wingate was greatly disquieted by the emergence of this new Egyptian leadership.  The nationalist cause had previously lacked a popular and unified leader, since the death of Mustafa Kamel and the exile of Mohammed Farid.

Thus, Wingate arrested some of the Wafd members and sent them to Port Said on 8 March 1919.  From there, a military vessel deported them to Malta.

On the following day, demonstrations broke out, first by the students at the Egyptian University, then by those at Al-Azhar.

People of all denominations and backgrounds, whether they were workers, farmers, or merchants, took to the streets throughout the country.

National unity crystallized when the Revolution chose the cross and the crescent for an emblem. Women were for the first time among protestors.

Floods of protests and telegrams were delivered to the Sultani  Diwan declaring the nation’s support for Zaghlul, objecting to the arrests, and demanding the release of the leaders and permission to travel to France.

Great Britain was obliged to release Zaghlul and let him go to France. Meanwhile, Britain convinced President Wilson to acknowledge Egypt as a British Protectorate.  This acknowledgement was given the very day that the delegation arrived at Marseille. - a fact that demoralized them since the delegation was counting on Wilson’s support as the Spokesman of Self-determination.

Some delegation members wanted to return to Egypt and resume the struggle there. Zaghlul, however insisted on continuing the mission and attempting to convince the European Parliaments of Egypt’s right to self-determination.

Great Britain tried to exclude and then manipulate the Egyptian Delegation by negotiating behind its back with the Egyptian government and several less important political figures, in an attempt to reach a compromise and to undermine Zaghlul's basic purpose, which was to gain Egypt's full independence.

With this idea in mind, the British government sent out a committee chaired by Lord Milner. The Egyptians, however, boycotted the committee and declared their objection to its work.

They declared that the Egyptian Delegation, headed by Zaghlul , was the sole legitimate representative of the people. Milner's mission came to naught.

In his report, he recommended that Britain continue negotiations with Zaghlul.  The government accepted this recommendation.

However, the Zaghlul-Milner negotiations ultimately failed due to Zaghlul’s insistence on full independence and Milner’s insistence on a British presence in the Suez Canal, as well as the protection of foreigners in Egypt.


Egyptian 1919 revolution as non-violent

The Egyptian Revolution of 1919 was a countrywide non-violent revolution against the British occupation of Egypt.

It was carried out by Egyptians from different walks of life in the wake of the British-ordered exile of revolutionary leader Saad Zaghlul and other members of the Wafd Party in 1919.

The event led to Egyptian independence in 1922 and the implementation of a new constitution in 1923.

The event is considered to be one of the earliest successful implementations of non-violent civil disobedience in the world. It was followed immediately, by similar actions in the Indian Independence Movement led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

Some of the most impressive cases of nonviolent resistance have come from North Africa.

The Egyptian 1919 revolution consisted of months of civil disobedience against the British occupation, centred in Cairo and Alexandria.

There were strikes by students and lawyers, as well as postal, telegraph, tram and railway workers, and, eventually Egyptian Government Personnel.

The result of this nonviolent movement was the British recognition of limited Egyptian independence.


Background of Egyptian 1919 revolution

Shortly after the First World War Armistice of November 11 was concluded in Europe, a delegation of Egyptian anti-colonial activists led by Saad Zaghlul made a request to High Commissioner Reginald Wingate to end the British Protectorate in Egypt and gain Egyptian representation at the next Peace Conference in Paris.

Meanwhile, a mass movement for independence was being organized on the Egyptian streets using the tactics of Civil Disobedience.

By then, Zaghlul and the Wafd had enjoyed massive support among the Egyptian people. Wafdist emissaries went into towns and villages to collect signatures authorizing the movement's leaders to petition for the complete independence of Egypt.

Seeing the popular support that the Wafd leaders enjoyed among the native population, and fearing social unrest, the British in March 1919 proceeded to arrest Zaghlul and two other movement leaders and exiled them to Malta.

"The result was revolution," according to noted professor of Egyptian history James Jankowski.


Events

On 8 March 1919, the first modern Egyptian revolution broke out after the British authorities in Egypt arrested Zaghlul and his associates and exiled them to Malta.

For several weeks until April, demonstrations and strikes across Egypt by students, civil servants, merchants, peasants, workers, religious leaders, and Egyptian women (both Copts and Muslims) became such a daily occurrence that normal life was brought to a halt.

The uprising in the Egyptian countryside was more violent, involving attacks on British military installations, civilian facilities and personnel.

The revolts forced London to issue a Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence on February 22, 1922.

The Wafd Party drafted a new constitution in 1923 based on a Parliamentary Representative System.

Egyptian independence at this stage was provisional, as British forces continued to be physically present on Egyptian soil.

Saad Zaghlul became the first popularly-elected Prime Minister of Egypt in 1924, and in 1936 the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty was concluded. By the end of the actions, 800 Egyptians were dead and 1,600 others were wounded.


Women in Egypt’s 1919 revolution

Since the dawn of history, Egyptian women have played a significant role in the various aspects of life.  

March 16 was chosen to be Egypt's Woman's Day for pursuance of the UN resolution, urging member states to celebrate their own women's day each in accordance with a history event.

That day, in the year 1919, marks Egyptian Women's Revolution against Colonialism, their struggle for independence and the death of Hameida Khalil, the first woman to sacrifice her life for the cause.

On that day, 300 women demonstrators led by Hoda Sha'arawi took to the streets raising the crescent and the cross to symbolize national unity and denouncing British occupation and colonialism.

On the same day, four years later, Hoda Sha'arawi called for a demonstration, the first of its kind, for the foundation of the first Egyptian Women's Union.

Her purpose was to improve women's educational level to ensure political and social equality.

Women in Egypt continue to be involved in the various aspects of life whether political or social.

At present, Egyptian women can become Members of Parliament and are entitled to vote. They have also been chosen to fill such top-level positions as Ministers, Judges and Ambassadresses.


Most Popular Revolutions in Egypt:

•    Urabi Revolt

•    Egyptian Revolution of 1919   

•    Egyptian Revolution of 1952

 

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