Tunisia moves to erase vestiges of Ben Ali's rule

TUNIS, March 7From a reviled constitution that gave him all the powers to street names that celebrated his 23-year long rule, Tunisia is moving to dismantle the vestiges of toppled leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's era.The interim president last week called a July 24 election to choose a national constituent assembly tasked with rewriting a constitution which he said "no longer reflects the aspirations of the people after the revolution".Parliament, dominated by Ben Ali's loyalists, has effectively been dissolved and popular pressure has forced ministers in the caretaker government regarded as too close to the old regime to resign one after the other.In the streets of the seaside capital Tunis, where mass protests forced Ben Ali to flee on Jan. 14, the change is dramatic.The central square and street once named after the date of the bloodless coup that brought Ben Ali to power have been renamed Place January 14, 2011 and Avenue Mohamed Bouazizi -- in honour of the young vegetable seller who, by setting himself on fire after police confiscated his produce, triggered the revolt."BEN ALI THE CROOK"Long-banned books denouncing widespread corruption and human rights abuses under the ousted president have replaced hagiographic pamphlets hailing him as a saviour in bookstores."We are selling plenty of them," said Hajji Adel, who works in one of the city's biggest bookshops."See that one? It's a best-seller right now," he said, pointing to the cover of a book called "Ben Ali Le Ripou" (Ben Ali The Crook).Graffiti reading "Long live the revolution, death to RCD" or "RCD out", in reference to Ben Ali's party, are sprayed on once-spotless walls. The party has been suspended after Ben Ali's departure, and a court will decide this week whether to dissolve it.By contrast, eight new or previously outlawed movements have been allowed on to the political stage.Street vendors who until not long ago had no choice but to bribe local administrators to get a mandatory licence are now setting up their stalls freely in the city, offering anything from clothes to roasted nuts, from blankets to perfumes.Once ubiquitous portraits of the former president have gone from shops and buildings, and in outdoor cafes people can be heard arguing loudly about politics -- something unthinkable in Ben Ali's police state.Tunisians are particularly proud that their "Jasmine Revolution", as the revolt has been called, inspired similar uprisings in Egypt and other Arab countries.Yet it may be a while before stability is restored, or popular grievances such as rising poverty and unemployment are effectively addressed.The bustling Avenue Bourguiba, the city's tree-lined main boulevard, bears the scars of violent street battles between police and demonstrators in which more than 200 people were killed, and the presence of security forces is anything but discreet.Tanks are parked outside the interior ministry and the French embassy and barbed wire has been rolled out to protect both buildings. Broken glass from smashed shop windows litters the pavement. As night falls, Tunis streets empty quickly and restaurants close early.In the old medina market, carpet seller Nasr said the unrest had scared away tourists and he wasn't doing much business as a result, but he was philosophical about it."Of course we are happy about this renewal -- can you imagine, after 23 years? And if change takes a bit of time to bring concrete benefits, well that's normal." (Reuters)

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