Shiite and Sunni sects should avoid conflict and seek solution through dialogue

Jakarta, NU Online
The Shiite and Sunni sects in the Middle East, which were  trapped in a protracted rift, should settle their conflict through dialogues to prevent war from spreading to other regions.

"We should hold an inter-sectarian (Shiite-Sunni) dialogue in a bid to prevent the crisis from developing into a civil war," an analyst of international political affairs at the University of Indonesia, Beginda Pakpahan, said here on Wednesday.<>

The two religious groups had their differences of principles in the past ten years although their conflict could be solved through non military approach without using arms and bombs, which would cause no casualties.
As reported by the Antara news agency, the rift which may develop  into a civil war between the  two sects broke out in Iraq in the wake of Saddam’s fall. 

According to him, the rift in Iraq was triggered by differences in political interests.

It was true that the Shiite-Sunny dispute dated back to the year of 35 Hijrah when Islam was born.

When Syam (Syrian) Governor Muawiyyah in Damascus rejected the appointment of Ali bin Abi Thalib as Amirul Mukminin (top leader) replacing Khalifah Utsman who was killed by rebels.

The Ali-Muawiyah conflict then triggered a war in Siffin valley near Eufrat river in Iraq, but it ended in peace in Daumatul Jandal, north of Madinah. 

In addition to the political dispute, the Sunny and Shiite sectors then had a conflict in theology. Shiite intellectuals issued a  new theological law made them become different from the Sunny sect although they still shared many things.

In Iraq, in  the past centuries, the Sunny sect succeeded in grabbing elite posts in many aspects of life, while the Shiites remained a low level community, and became victims of  Iraqi leaders  as what happened under the Saddam Hussein regime.

"To avoid a protracted civil war, a dialogue should be held between the two sects," Baginda said. 

Besides endangering the Middle East region, the conflict between the two sects may also trigger a war of interest among three main actors in that region, namely Persia, Arab and Israel, in addition to some other countries also having an interest there.

"Should such a war breakout in that region, the international community will also be threatened, because the region has  the biggest oil fields,  which supplies many parts of the world with natural oil and gas," Baginda said. (dar)