GROWING TERRORISM THREATENS SOUTHEAST ASIA

摘要

For decades, the complex ethnic picture of Southeast Asia was submerged by united opposition to colonialism, the Cold War, and a decade of unprecedented economic growth. Unfortunately, the economic boom ended soon after the Cold War, and what were once the "Asian Tigers", became a region of Asian cat fights. Ethnic groups that were once quiet because of economic prosperity or an overriding political agenda are now making demands for independence or more economic power. These conflicts pose a real threat to the future of some of the world's greatest mineral deposits.As late as five years ago, Southeast Asia was in the midst of an economic miracle. This double digit growth and increasing wealth suppressed many of the ethnic and religious that had often existed for centuries. When 1997 rolled around and a major financial crisis erupted, the fragile relationship between these groups fell apart. For instance on the Malay Peninsula, Muslim Malaysia began bickering with predominantly Chinese Singapore over water rights and custom issues. However, such arguments are civil compared to what is be-mg done by smaller ethnic and religious groups.