ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on conflicts between sects or sectarian conflicts, among Muslims. It takes two cases: conflicts between Sunnis and members of Shia communities in Sampang, Madura, East Java; and tensions between Sunni and Shi'a communities in Bangil, East Java. Intra-Muslim sectarian conflict received new attention as incidents of attacks against Ahmadiyah increased after the fall of the New Order. Both Assyaukanie and LBH Jakarta and Kontras see fatawa against certain Islamic minorities in Indonesia as an important cause of the violence against the weaker party in the intra-Muslim sectarian conflicts. According to Syafrizal Ahiar, two areas of police reform are necessary to increase the capacity of the Indonesian police, including in dealing with religious and sectarian conflicts. The differences between Sunni and Shi'a have been in existence for a very long time and will continue into the future. Sometimes these sects will mobilise their followers in sectarian disputes.