Reflection of Three Cups of Tea Essay Example

Malaysia's approach to assimilating minorities, such as removing government support from Chinese-language schools to create a Malay-centric homeland, led to racial riots and showcased ineffective management methods.

The utilization of accommodation as a strategy in managing minorities and preventing inter-ethnic conflicts has proven to be highly effective. This approach has played a significant role in ensuring that intense and violent conflicts do not occur in the region. By recognizing and addressing the unique differences and requirements of minority races, potential conflicts have been successfully controlled and restrained, ultimately avoiding additional harm and tensions between different racial groups.

Hence, the occurrence of intensified conflicts was reduced and violent inter-ethnic conflict was minimized. For instance, in Indonesia, policies were enforced to address the concerns of indigenous minorities, such as providing large annual government grants to certain areas and implementing centrally-directed infrastructure improvement programs to enhance economic conditions in the Outer Islands. Despite this, military forces were able to suppress racial riots that erupted due to inadequate integration of different races, thereby containing violent conflict.

Nevertheless, in Burma, the forced assimilation of non-indigenous races caused ethnic insurgencies and wars against the Burmese government until 1997. This shows that accommodation was more successful in managing minorities compared to assimilation, resulting in fewer violent conflicts throughout Southeast Asia. Additionally, accommodation strategies have been effective in preventing divisions and political splits within the government.

The successful integration of minorities into the nation's diverse population has also contributed to the effective cooperation of the government. The management of minority races has established political legitimacy and unity. Singapore provides an example of this, with the People's Action Party (PAP)

organizing regular meet the people sessions that allowed for direct communication between the government and its constituents. These sessions facilitated interactions between different racial groups and helped to strengthen relations among them.

The government successfully solidified its position as a dominant one-party state and achieved political unity, void of divisions and splits. On the other hand, in Burma, U Nu's political framework, which prioritized Buddhism, neglected other ethnicities and failed to address conflicting interests between the majority and minority populations. As a consequence, the Karen National Union demanded the creation of a separate state.

With regard to ethnic splits, if they occur as an assimilation strategy, it can be argued that they are less effective compared to accommodation strategies. The inclusion of all races in an accommodating approach leads to the formation of a politically legitimate and credible government. This government can function well because it successfully addresses the minority problem. Nevertheless, it should be noted that even the accommodation strategy is not flawless and there were instances where it turned out to be ineffective.

In some cases, the government's accommodation tactics could backfire by making them vulnerable and weaker. For instance, in Vietnam, minorities were included in the state and political affairs. They were encouraged to participate in national institutions and had representation at all government levels.

However, this action created a problem as it intensified competition among Vietnamese races. They now had a way to negotiate for better treatment for their own race. For instance, the resettlement of the Kinh upland increased competition for limited jobs and resources among the races. Consequently, this situation increased hostilities and created more opportunities for

conflicts to occur frequently. Therefore, accommodation was not always a guarantee and could potentially widen the gap between minority races, making it ineffective in achieving success.

Additionally, assimilation has proven to be an effective method of integrating the minority population into society without jeopardizing the majority's position. It has successfully eased ethnic tensions and maintained stability in certain cases. An example of this is seen in Thailand, where the Chinese minority was successfully integrated into Thai society.

Due to a thoughtful Thai nationalism, individuals were able to freely shape their own Thai identity without imposition. As a result, many Chinese immigrants chose to change their names to have a more Thai essence. Despite facing restrictions, Chinese schools did not witness protests, indicating the general acceptance of these policies within the minority community.

The success of keeping conflict at bay and at a low frequency can be seen with such effective tactics. Assimilation, when approached with careful consideration and sensitivity towards minority races, can be equally successful and effective as accommodation. Ultimately, accommodation has generally proven more effective than assimilation in managing the minority problem in most instances. The implementation of effective accommodation policies has effectively prevented and reduced the frequency and intensity of conflicts.

In addition, it has been observed that there are no divisions or political splits within governments based on ethnicity, ideology, or religion. Although there may be situations where vulnerability occurs due to unsuccessful accommodation, successful assimilation has successfully reduced issues faced by minorities. However, it is important to consider accommodation as the preferable choice. By implementing carefully planned strategies, both minority and majority groups can have their

needs fulfilled while acknowledging and respecting their differences. This is demonstrated by the favorable results of past policies.

Accommodation has been crucial for Southeast Asian states in ensuring political and societal stability. It has proven to be more effective than assimilation in managing minority populations by developing and executing policies that prevent violent inter-ethnic conflicts. As a result, Southeast Asia has achieved overall stability.