The Salvini Decree

First of all I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell my story. Thank you for dealing with this subject. I understand it is complicated, I understand the many feelings people have towards the topic. But we are talking about individuals with children, parents, sisters and brothers, and friends. One of them is my daughter.

My daughter has had a harsh life, but she is a loving mother and has always taking care of others. My husband and I are originally from Morocco but we have raised our five children in Italy. My husband died 8 years ago and our youngest daughter who adored him got a depression of some sort.
She didn’t want to do anything. I had to force her to school. I always thought that education is important.

Before the death of my husband she was a cheerful, laughable creature. She had many friends and was well liked in school. Suddenly she didn’t want to talk to any of her friends and soon she became an outsider in school. She didn’t do her homework and I had a hard time talking to her. I hoped time would help. I kept telling myself, just let time heal her wounds. And eventually it did, after a couple of years she started smiling again. She was now in her early teens. She has always been beautiful, but now she had turned into a very beautiful young lady.

She began spending more time in school and together with her friends. Especially one friend. This friend had a brother and the only good thing I can say about him is that he made my daughter smile again. I really don’t know what he told her, but one morning my daughter kissed me before she went to school. She said: “Mom, I love you. I really do”. Then he left, and I haven’t seen her ever since. It was five years ago and I still miss her. She was only 14 years old! She called me two days later and told me she had married the brother of her friend and that they were in Syria. She said she was happy. I couldn’t believe it. My little daughter.

I went to the police. I called a lawyer. But I could do nothing. I begged her to come back, but she told me again and again she was happy. I received a call from her maybe half a year ago, she is in a camp now. She has two children and her husband is either dead or imprisoned. She wants to come home. She was crying so much. She didn’t have much time before somebody else had to use the phone.

I called the police again and asked about what to do. They didn’t want to help me. They talked about the Salvini Decree. They wanted to revoke her citizenship. I told them that she is not a terrorist. Just a young girl who fell in love. They said it didn’t matter. My lawyer is looking into it, but to be honest, I don’t think he can manage. It is unfair. She was so young. I don’t know how to help her. Please help her. Help me.

– Fatima al-Aroush