Banda Aceh, December 26, 2024 – The Europe Today: Acting Governor of Aceh, Safrizal ZA, reflected on the transformative impact of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami during the 20th-anniversary commemoration held at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh on Thursday. While the tsunami caused immense devastation, it also played a pivotal role in ending decades of conflict in the province.
The disaster, triggered by a 9.1-magnitude earthquake on December 26, 2004, claimed over 170,000 lives in Indonesia alone, destroyed 250,000 homes, and severely impacted infrastructure across the Indian Ocean region. Safrizal emphasized that the tragedy paved the way for peace between the central government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), bringing an end to a three-decade-long insurgency.
“The 2004 tsunami opened the door for peace in Aceh, and the three-decade conflict came to an end,” Safrizal said, referencing the peace accord signed in Helsinki, Finland, on August 15, 2005.
Safrizal also highlighted the overwhelming global solidarity that followed the disaster, describing it as an “unprecedented action in the history of modern humanitarian operations.” Over 60 countries, numerous international organizations, and thousands of volunteers contributed to the recovery efforts.
“We saw the world unite for Aceh. Thousands of international volunteers worked tirelessly for Aceh; some even sacrificed their lives,” he said, urging Aceh’s people to remain thankful for the global support and God’s grace during the crisis.
As the province commemorates this tragic event, Safrizal called for reflection and gratitude: “Twenty years have passed, yet the memory of the devastating disaster remains in our hearts. Nonetheless, we must preserve in our hearts our thankfulness to the Almighty God and for the global community.”
The 20th-anniversary event served as a poignant reminder of Aceh’s resilience and the unity that turned a catastrophic tragedy into a path toward peace and rebuilding.
