CHERIE'S BATTLE

BRITISH Prime Minister's wife Cherie Blair yesterday vowed to campaign for Asian women scarred in horrific acid attacks.

She was deeply affected by the suffering inflicted by extremist men in a brutal attempt to uphold Islamic dress, marriage and honour codes.

Hundreds of victims are attacked every year throughout India and Bangladesh because they appear in public with their heads uncovered or by bringing dishonour to their families.

Yesterday, during the Prime Minister's tour of the sub- continent, she met an 18-year-old woman who had been left permanently disfigured.

Afterwards, Mrs Blair told the Irish Sunday Mirror: "I was moved and horrified by what I saw.""

At a meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Mrs Blair told members of the Acid Survivors Foundation she would give whatever help she could to highlight the problem and bring the culprits to justice.

Acid attacks are carried out on women who refuse to wear either the hijab, an Iranian-style cowl, or the Afghan-style burqa, which covers the body from head-to-toe.

The violence is also directed against women who refuse to take part in arranged marriages, or whose family fails to produce a promised dowry or if a woman fails to provide her husband with a son. Some of the worst cases are being helped by British plastic surgeons to rebuild their looks and their lives.

Many attacks are carried out by the women's own relatives.

Victim Kulsum Bhat, who did not meet Mrs Blair, was just 14 when she was attacked on her way home from school with her head uncovered. Now 15, she has one eye and ugly, red weals disfiguring her cheeks. She said: "If I met those men again, I'd tear their eyes out.""

A Downing Street official said:" "Mrs Blair promised to highlight the suffering, to help raise awareness and to promote long-term changes in attitude to counter violence against women.

"Acid violence has been used to punish women who refuse arranged marriages, whose family fail to produce a promised dowry or who bring dishonour to the family.

"She believes that one attack is too many and that it is hard to understand the cruelty behind such a punishment.

"It is clearly meant to hurt, harm, disfigure and prevent women taking part in normal society.""

In the wealthier parts of India and Bangladesh women are casting aside the traditional restrictions on dress and move around with their heads and faces uncovered.

"I will not be forced to wear the burqa," said one student who did not want to be named for fear of a revenge attack.

But traditionally-minded men believe it is the duty of all Muslim women to cover their heads. The Koran ordains that women should cover their heads, hair, arms and hands in public.

Mrs Blair called into an orphanage in Bangalore, southern India. She had lunch and chatted to some of the 300 children.

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