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Tunisian Protesters Challenge President's Grip on Power

   Kate Woodsome | Washington  14 January 2011
   Tunisians shout slogans as they demonstrate against Tunisian President
   Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, 14 Jan 2011

Photo: Reuters

   Tunisians shout slogans as they demonstrate against Tunisian President
   Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in Tunis, 14 Jan 2011

   A  political  drama continues to unfold in Tunisia, where thousands of
   demonstrators   are   marching   through  the  capital  demanding  the
   president's  resignation.  The  demonstrations  come  a  day after the
   president  sought to tamp-down the political unrest by pledging not to
   seek  another  term  in office and to push through political and media
   reforms.

   The  president's  concessions  appear  to  be a dramatic reversal of a
   long-standing policy of repression.
   Protestors  marching  down the main boulevard in central Tunis shouted
   slogans  against President Ben Ali Friday, calling him an assassin and
   demanding  his  removal.  The  march  could not have happened 24 hours
   before in a country where freedom of speech has long been suppressed.

   The  demonstrations  are  the  first test of President Ali's pledge to
   loosen  restrictions on the media, slash food prices and stop security
   forces from using firearms on demonstrators.
   "As  for  your  political  requests, I understood them," Mr. Ali said.
   "Yes,  I  understood  them  and I decided to give press freedom on all
   levels and will not block access to the Internet, and there will be no
   more  scrutiny  over  the  media.  However,  we  have  to  respect our
   principles and behavior."
   The  president  appeared  shaken  as  he  delivered a hastily prepared
   speech  on  television  Thursday to try to stop deadly riots over food
   prices  and high unemployment. The government says 23 people have died
   in the unrest, but rights groups and the opposition say that number is
   far higher.
   Mr.  Ali's conciliatory tone in his national address initially sparked
   celebrations,   with  one-time  critics  blessing  the  president  for
   recognizing his mistakes.
   Thousands of people poured into the streets to praise Ben Aliās name.
   But  a day later, the president's history of alleged corruption caught
   up  with  him, sparking new protests. Mr. Ali has ruled Tunisia for 23
   years,  and  he  and  his family are accused of stealing the country's
   wealth for their own gain.
   One protestor, Dilou Thoraya, says a promise to reform is not enough.
   "He has done that under the pressure of the people," she noted. "It is
   too  late,  there  are  70 dead people. While he was doing his speech,
   there  were people dying in Kairouan. We don't have any trust anymore.
   The police are in charge here, the Ministry of Interior is in charge."
   The  unrest  began  in December when an unemployed university graduate
   set  himself  on  fire  after  police  confiscated  his produce stand.
   Authorities  say  he  was  selling the goods without a permit. But the
   graduateās  suicide struck a chord among Tunisians frustrated by their
   lack of influence in the countryās long-running political leadership.

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