ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines some common elements of change that hold implications for minority groups, namely agrarian transition, resettlement policies and environmental destruction. Southeast Asia is an incredibly heterogeneous region in terms of ethnicity, with ethnic identities shaped by complex histories. Population pressure, often in low-lying intensive agricultural zones, has led to state-led resettlement programs bringing lowlanders, often from dominant ethnic groups, into direct contact and conflict with upland ethnic minorities and indigenous groups. In the 1970s, the Malaysian government implemented policies that favored Bumiputera through affirmative action in public education and employment opportunities; the state also aimed to soothe inter-ethnic tensions following extended violence against Chinese Malaysians in 1969. In both Indonesia and Malaysia, post-independence governments have considered ethnic and cultural diversity threats to national unity and social cohesion. The chapter provides an examination of specific 'development' processes that significantly impact minority and indigenous groups in the region.
