in which Diouf was elected president for a third term. After long negotiations, a cease-fire was declared in July that year, and in the following months peace returned to Casamance. By early 1994, the first tourists had also begun to return. Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, things were still far from peaceful. The government introduced a number of austerity measures, leading to a one-day general strike in early September and sporadic outbreaks of unrest in Dakar and other cities during the following months. The devaluation of the CFA in January 1994 also resulted in angry demonstrations. In February 1994, hundreds of people marched on Dakar's presidential palace and six policemen on guard were reportedly hacked to death. The government responded to this by ordering high-profile army patrols onto the streets of the capital. The popular opposition leader Abdou-laye Wade was arrested and accused of conspiracy. Dakar remained tense but peaceful in the following months, and Wade was released in May 1994. Two months later, French officials visited Senegal and attempted to encourage President Diouf to include Wade in the government. CultureLike many African tribes, Senegal's main indigenous group, the Wolof, has a highly stratified society wherein status is determined by birth. At the top of the social heap are traditional noble and warrior families, followed by the farmers, traders and persons of caste - blacksmiths, leather workers, wood workers, weavers and griots (GREE-oh). Griots are the lowest of the castes but are highly respected, as they are in charge of passing on the oral traditions and are usually the only ones who can recite a family or village history. They used to be the entertainers of the royal families; these days, if you're fortunate enough to hear a kora played, the player will almost certainly be from a griot family. Slaves occupied the lowest rung of the social ladder, and although slavery is now long gone, many...
