Hundreds of religious buildings destroyed in Moluccan conflict

More than 300 mosques and churches were destroyed in ethnic conflicts in Indonesia's Moluccan islands last year, the Missionary News service report. According to a committee investigating human rights abuses in the region, in the North Moluccas, 117 mosques and 37 churches were razed to the ground in 2000. Throughout the rest of the region a total of 163 places of worship were completely demolished. Fighting between Christians and Muslims in the Moluccas began in January 1999. Since that time there have dozens of clashes, with many casualties and the destruction of dozens of public buildings, including schools, colleges, clinics as well as houses and entire villages.