Inter-ethnic violence between the Dayak and the Madurese broke out in Sampit, Indonesia, ultimately causing more than 500 deaths and the displacement of 100,000 Madurese from their homes.

The Sampit conflict, Sampit war or Sampit riots was an outbreak of inter-ethnic violence in Indonesia, beginning in February 2001 and lasting through the year. The conflict started in the town of Sampit, Central Kalimantan, and spread throughout the province, including the capital Palangka Raya. The conflict took place between the indigenous Dayak people and the migrant Madurese people from the island of Madura off Java. The exact origin of the conflict is disputed, but it eventually culminated in hundreds of deaths, with at least one hundred Madurese being decapitated.

The Dayak or Dyak or Dayuh are the native groups of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic groups, located principally in the central and southern interior of Borneo, each with its own dialect, customs, laws, territory, and culture, although common distinguishing traits are readily identifiable. The Dayak were animist in belief; however, since the 19th century there has been mass conversion to Christianity and to Islam.

Madurese people are one of the Austronesian-speaking ethnic group native to the Indonesian island of Madura in the Java Sea, off the northeastern coast of Java. They speak their own native Madurese, sharing a common history, traditions, and cultural identity. Nationwide, the Madurese are the third-largest ethnic group in Indonesia, and one of the well-known Indonesian national dishes, Satay, is attributed to the Madurese as part of their culinary heritage.

Sampit is a large town located in East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan. Previously a timber port town, it has grown to be a medium-sized community with a population of 166,773 according to Statistics Indonesia in 2019, with the economy having since divested from timber products. However, the town is not an autonomous city and not an administrative division by despite having a sizeable population and urban built-up. It consists of eleven urban villages (kelurahan) and two "rural" villages (desa), comprising Mentawa Baru Ketapang District, Baamang District (fully) and part of Seranau District, as detailed below. The total area of the town is 751.45 square kilometres.