Wherever you go, you will be my daughter....

A difficult story to tell.

I left my vacation after a phone call that informed me: tomorrow a mother with her seven daughters will appear before judge Majlinda Dogga in Tirana. They request a protection order from the head of the family because he does not accept that his daughters attend school.

When I was traveling to Tirana, I thought of every possible version. That of some I have encountered in court sessions, who rush to marry their daughters, broken by prejudice and weakness to let them be free in their lives. Until they choose for themselves.
The girls and I were the first to arrive. They were taken under the protection of the state.

In the end, they brought the father. A 44-year-old man, who was being held by a policeman and his hands were handcuffed. He addressed the elder as soon as he met her in the corridor "daughter - he said, wherever you go you will be my daughter".

The couple got married in 2001. The couple was looking for a son and they gave birth to seven daughters. After each pregnancy, the baby's cry seemed to announce again "I gave birth to a girl". However, the daughters did not disappoint father and mother, all with high results in school.

But the woman, with her eyes on the ground, answers the judge that although she married a devoted husband whom she helped in their private business, she had a weak voice to decide in the family. 'Is it as the girls stated to the police, that the father did not allow the schooling - asks the judge who aims to be clear if it is a question of an economic fight and as a result the girls side with the mother.

The eldest daughter, now 20 years old, attends a well-known university in the capital, also the second. That's where they shine. The third was taken to attend high school and they live together. They were getting ready to enroll the fourth one in the gymnasium. "I had to go to an internship in Italy and the father, in an argument, declared no, you won't go," the eldest told the court. School is important to me, the young woman exclaims. The father answers "I was selling the house so that we could be together in Tirana, what did you miss?" With these hands I have made night day for you."

But the girls testify that when they woke up they saw their parents arguing. Then pushing with his hands. At one point, the father shouted "in this house it will be done as I say". They went in to separate him and he slapped one of them.

Kur situata doli krejt nga kontrolli, vajzat i thonë gjyqatres se i rreshtoi dhe i pyeti “a doni të shkoni në Tiranë, ikni”.

“Ky ishte momenti kur babai doli nga shtëpia. Edhe për mua shkolla është e rëndësishme, edhe për motrat e mia- I thotë gjyqtares vajza tjetër. Është e dyta që ndjek si e motra një universitet privat. Pranon që cdo javë babai dhe nëna udhëtonin nga qyteti i tyre për ti takuar e për tu kujdesur.

Por familja duhej bërë bashkë. E shtëpia duhej shitur. Por babait ja kërkuan shumë lirë shtëpinë ku ato u rritën, dhe ai nuk po e shiste dot me një cmim të arsyeshëm. ‘Këtu do hyja në kredi, sepse me aq para nuk plotësohej cmimi i një apartamenti në kryeqytet” – përpiqet ti shpjegojë të shoqes se në prani të gjyqtares.

Por ai ishte aq nervoz saqë u bë agresiv dhe rrahu të shoqen. Pastaj të bijën. Pastaj ato u larguan në Tiranë. Kur u kthye , ai shkoi në policinë lokale , e cila telefonoi gruan e megjithatë gruaja thotë “nuk i tregova se ku gjendeshim mbasi kisha frikë prej tij”.

Nga data 22 gusht , kryefamiljari udhëtoi për në Tiranë, i kërkoi dhe nuk i gjeti. Shkoi sërisht në polici për të njoftuar ku dhe u arrestua mbasi ishte denoncuar për dhunë në familje nga bashkëshortja dhe të bijat.

“Unë kërkoj urdhër mbrojtjeje – thotë gruaja e tij, nëna e fëmijëve . Kishim vendosur ti shkollonim vajzat në kryeqytet mbasi këtu shkollat janë më të mira se atje ku jetojmë, por ai ndërron vazhdimisht mendje. Kërkoj urdhër mbrojtjeje edhe për vajzat tona.

He covers his face with calloused palms and bursts into tears. "I have endured a lot, I can't endure anymore - the 42-year-old explains in a choked voice ."

The civil court decides after listening to everyone. The man fled to prison, the mother and her seven daughters are sent to a shelter.

What is the truth? Both parents' hands were full of calluses. They raised seven daughters together, and all seven need to be educated.

Photo 1. The man arrested in court, today, August 24

Photo 2. The eight whistleblowers