Iraq: The Sunni-Shia Divide

Sunni and Shia Islam are the two major branches of Islam. Their division traces back to
a schism following the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the year 632AD. A dispute
over succession to Muhammad as a caliph of the Islamic community spread across various parts of
the world. Since the original schism the Sunni and Shia divide has become wider as disputes over
territory and governance has further complicated the relationship between them.

Perhaps the center of this conflict is situated in the land commonly viewed as the Cradle of
Civilization; Iraq. This country acts as median between the Sunni majority to the west and the Shia
dominated east. The two powers have constantly battled for dominance within the country, and the
pendulum has shifted back and forth throughout history. Today Shia Muslims make up an
estimated 65% of the Iraqi population. However since the 1930’s the Sunni dominated government
has persecuted Shias both indirectly and directly. Perhaps the worst of Shia persecution has been
under the rule of the Baath party, especially under Saddam Hussein. From 1979–1983 Saddam's
regime executed 48 major Shia clerics in Iraq. Tens of thousands of Iranians and Arabs of Iranian
origin were expelled in 1979 and 1980 and a further 75,000 in 1989.

The Shias openly revolted against Saddam following the Gulf War in 1991 and were
encouraged by Saddam's defeat in Kuwait and by simultaneous Kurdish uprising in the north.
However, Shia opposition to the government was brutally suppressed, resulting in some 50,000 to
100,000 casualties and successive repression by Saddam's forces. The governing regimes of Iraq
were composed mainly of Sunnis for nearly a century until the 2003 Iraq War.

The 2003 Iraqi War has furthered conflict between the two branches as disputes over political
dominance have arisen. The removal of the Baath party from power has created a political vacuum
and both Sunni and Shia have perceived the head of government as “up for grabs”. Some of the
worst volleys of violence between the two branches of Islam have since occurred. The post war has
featured a cycle of Sunni–Shia revenge killings—employing the use of car bombs, and death
squads as effective tactics against one another. According to one estimate, as of early 2008, 1,121
suicide bombers have blown themselves up in Iraq. And both Sunni and Shia have targeted
thousands of civilians, and numerous mosques, shrines, wedding, funerals, markets, hospitals, and
offices.