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SUVA, FIJI ISLANDS, June 3, 2003: Police have recorded some 73 cases of acts of vandalism in the country since May, 2000, and religious groups are concerned with these growing incidents and want the government to toughen penalties for such crimes. The plea comes in the wake of a break-in at the Olosara Hindu Temple in Sigatoka last week. A mosque in Sigatoka was also broken into, two days before Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday last month. Of the 73 cases recorded, 44 Hindu temples, 19 churches and 10 mosques were broken into by vandals and holy books and other items of worship destroyed in the process. The religious groups yesterday described the act as “anti-Godliness” saying any God-loving person would not break into a place of worship. Fiji Council of Churches general secretary Benjamin Bhagwan said of the 73 cases recorded, most of them seem to be cases of “hooliganism and vandalism” except for some which may have been racial or against a particular religion. Shree Sanatan Dharam Prathinidhi Sabha acting president Surend Kumar said vandals breaking into such sacred places must be brought to justice and punished severely. Mr. Kumar said the Sabha is saddened by the recent incident in Sigatoka and hope the perpetrators will be found and appropriately punished. Fiji Muslim League president Hafiz Khan said the cases reflect acts of vandalism and are unacceptable in any society. “I do not think we have reached a state of having hate crimes. I see these incidents as normal crimes where people are desperate to make some money,” Mr. Khan said. The Arya Prathinidhi Sabha of Fiji national president Kamlesh Arya said the social fabric of the society was breaking apart leading to “moral decay.”

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