Sectarian violence
Sectarian violence is violence or confrontation/conflict inspired by sectarianism, that is, between different sects of one religion. In contrast, religious violence (or inter-religious violence) is between separate and distinct religions. In many cases, sectarian violence is caused not only by sectarian differences but is often also a result of a power struggle or has social, economic, or nationalistic aspects -- as is, likewise, frequently true of inter-religious conflicts. Examples of sectarian violence include that between:
- Christians - Catholic and Protestant
- Muslims - Shia and Sunni
Sectarianism in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has seen inter-communal conflict, particularly in the period from 1972 to 2002 known as "The Troubles". Nearly all the people living in Northern Ireland identified themselves as belonging to either the Protestant or the (Roman) Catholic community. People of no religion and non-Christian faiths are still considered as belonging to one of the two "sects" along with churchgoers. In this context, "Protestants" means essentially descendants of immigrants from Scotland settled in Ulster during or soon after the 1690s; also known as "Loyalists" or "Unionists" because they generally support politically the status of Northern Ireland as a part of the United Kingdom. "Catholics" means descendants of the pre-1690 indigenous Irish population, who generally politically favour a united Ireland.
Sectarianism in Islam
In Islam there are many example of sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Muslims. One example is that in Afghanistan during the rule of the Sunni Taliban and Shia. This can also be seen in nearby Pakistan where conflict has led to bombings, and in post-2003 invasion of Iraq where there are elements of conflict between the majority Shia and the previous ruling Sunnis.