In 2000, religious violence in the nearby Moluccan Islands spread to the remote Poso region of Central Sulawesi.
The province is largely Christian in the north, but elsewhere Muslims are in the majority.
The killing between the previously peaceful communities may have been sparked by business rivalry.
There were reports in 2001 that Laskar Jihad, a militant Islamic group already active in the Moluccas, was leading the Muslim side.
A group calling itself the Red Force was said to be leading the Christian side.
In 2002, both communities made moves towards peace when they agreed to hand over their weapons.
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