A strike has shut up shops and offices in large parts of southern Tunisia, bordering Libya.<br /><br /> It follows clashes between police and protesters on Sunday that left one person dead in the border town of Dehiba amid anger at a tax that many living near the frontier say will ruin their livelihoods.<br /><br /> Tension is high across the region of Tataouine where the walkout was declared as well as in Ben Guerdane, a town in Medenine province that was also paralysed by strike action on Tuesday.<br /><br /> Demonstrators are denouncing the tax on non-resident foreigners crossing the border – a regular point of passage for smuggled fuel.<br /><br /> They are also demanding less stringent customs checks on goods involved in cross-border trade and calling for more jobs.<br /><br /> And they want an inquiry amid claims of excessive use of police force during the protests.
