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Al-Ahram Weekly 1 - 7 April 1999 Issue No. 423 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 1 - 7 April 1999 Issue No. 423
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Interview Profile Features Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters The Republic of Zifta
By Fayza Hassan
"Zifta and Mit Ghamr sit opposite each other, divided by the Nile and joined by an ancient bridge. In each of them, there is a law office belonging to two young brothers: Youssef El-Guindi in Mit Ghamr, and Awad El-Guindi in Zifta, both young Saadists, both with revolutionary activities on their police files. In 1913, Awad El-Guindi entered the hall of the Legislative Assembly and applauded Saad Zaghlul, and fought with a member who was a government supporter, and who kept interrupting Zaghlul. He was arrested, and accused of putting up revolutionary pamphlets on the fence of the Parliament. As for Youssef, the younger brother, he was expelled from Law School in 1914, for encouraging the students to go on strike in protest of the declaration of the British Protectorate when the war broke out.
Youssef El-Guindi"Since the founding of the Wafd, both had travelled back and forth between Cairo and the countryside. Youssef especially was noticed at revolutionary meetings at Groppi and debates in the garden of Beit Al-Umma; his violent speeches from the minbar of Al-Azhar, the revolution's headquarters, were also remarked. Zaghlul and the senior members of the Wafd came to know him as a tireless revolutionary. His dark face expressed only stubbornness. Only extremist ideas sprang from his emaciated frame.
"When the Revolution broke out, Youssef was in Zifta. The peasants sent him word, expecting that he would do something. But here, in the countryside, there were no British for the peasants to fight. The trainlines had already been cut by peasants in the neighbouring villages. Still, it was necessary to do something remarkable, something that would embrace the significance of the Revolution.
It was decided that Zifta and Mit Ghamr would declare their independence, and refuse to submit to any other authority. Let the British come, then.
"The young revolutionary began to work. He announced the formation of the revolutionary council, made up of 'a'yan (notables), educated effendis and small merchants. Of their names, we know: Awad El-Kafrawi, Sheikh Mustafa 'Amayim, Ibrahim Kheireddin, Edmond Burda, Mohamed El-Sayed, Mahmoud Hassan... The revolutionary council chose as its headquarters the second floor of a coffee shop owned by an old Greek, called Café Mastokli.
"The council gathered, and decided to begin by seizing actual power by taking over the police station. Youssef El-Guindi marched on the station at the head of a large demonstration, which included all the men as well as armies of young boys. A few carried their old rifles; others armed themselves with sticks, branches and hoes. Conditions spared the new state any bloodshed, for the ma'mur of the police station was a nationalist by the name of Ismail Hamad. His adjutant was called Ahmed Gom'a. The ma'mur went out to meet the demonstration, and handed over station, arms, and command of the soldiers and guards to Youssef. Then he offered him his services, as an adviser to the new state, in his capacity as expert in administrative matters.
"The demonstrators went on to the train station and telegraph office, seizing the office immediately and taking hold of several cars loaded with wheat that was to be sent to the British authorities.
"It remained to the new state to face its domestic problems. Youssef gathered the 'a'yan and called for donations, that the state might have a treasury. Other donations were being made to finance the Wafd. Every week, an engineer, called Osman Moharram, would come to Zifta from Tanta to hand over the donations. The 'a'yan also gave to the new state. In this way, Youssef El-Guindi sought to create work for the many hands rendered idle by the Revolution, so as to prevent them from turning to theft and plunder. He used the money to create useful employment.
"They filled in the lakes and swamps that surrounded the village; the peasants had despaired of asking the government to do the job decades before.
"They repaired the streets that would be flooded during the Nile inundation, and fixed the bridges in the vicinity. The state even built a wooden kiosk on the bank of the Nile where music would be played.
"Then the revolutionary council recruited all the pupils and educated villagers and divided them into teams: one to oversee security matters at all times; one to guard the borders and prevent vital supplies from being smuggled out, or spies from sneaking in; and one to supervise irrigation.
"In the heart of Zifta, there was a printing press; a small press, owned by one Mohamed Effendi 'Agina. It began to print the decrees, instructions and news issued by the revolutionary council, which were distributed among the people. This press was to become an important national institution in Zifta's life, printing secret pamphlets at various times. It still exists today.
"The news soon arrived in Cairo, and crossed the seas to London. The Times announced that the village of Zifta had declared its independence, and raised a new flag."
from Ahmed Bahaeddin, Ayyam Laha Tarikh
see also: Right above might
