Asian Tsunamis disaster

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(Photo: Xinhua/REUTERS)

    BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Dec. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- The National Commemoration of the Tsunami was inaugurated here on Monday by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, aiming to seek for global unity and solidarity against natural disasters.

    The whole world were united by the tragedy on Dec. 26, 2005, which left more than 200,000 people dead or missing along the coast of the Indian Ocean, and by the commemoration, all the tsunami survivors were honored and the future should be days of hope and unity, said Susilo in his keynote speech to some 500 participants, including special envoys from a dozen of donor countries.

    During the past year, dedication, dignity and strong community involvement could be seen in the reconstruction of Aceh and other tsunami-ruined regions, said Susilo.

::::::	Aceh people expect lasting peace
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::::::	Tourists arrive in Thailand to mourn relatives killed in tsunami
::::::	Acehese obsessed with absence of houses, jobs

    The reconstruction of Aceh had brought global citizens together, and volunteers, non-government organizations and military forces were united in world solidarity, he said.

    "The reconstruction (of Aceh) keeps the flame of good will alive," he said, adding that the cooperation would be valuable asset for human kind and continue to nurture good will.

    Meanwhile, the signing of the peace deal by the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on August 15 was another fortune for the Acehnese as it ended almost three decades of blood shed and started new life of dignity for the local people, he said.

    "The future (for Aceh) will be of swear and fortune but not blood and tears," he added.

    The president noted that after darkness comes light, all the newly built villages, roads, bridges, markets, schools, ports and hospitals would be living monuments of the solidarity.

    Susilo confirmed the reconstruction efforts of Aceh and promised to donor countries that "you will see progress."

    At the ceremony, local children performed songs and the specialenvoys were presented with government awards by Susilo himself.

    Later, world leaders such as UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, UN Special Envoy for the Tsunami Bill Clinton, US President George Bush, and Australian Prime Minister John Howard expressed their concerns for the commemoration through a video clip.

    Before the anniversary, the government was widely criticized for the slow reconstruction of the oil and gas-rich province.

    However, the Aceh and Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (BRR) insisted that technical problems had so far hindered the reconstruction, which were being done by more than 500 international and national organizations.

    The agency said in a recent report that there were now almost 1,000 reconstruction projects underway in Aceh, while over 16,200 out of 120,000 permanent houses in plan were built, some 235 kilometers of roads restored, 335 new school buildings finished, 38 hospitals, clinic and health centers rehabilitated or set up, and over 5,000 hectares of fish ponds repaired.

    In addition, by the mid of 2007, the half million of internally displaced persons would live in permanent houses, it added.

    Out of the 7.1 billion US dollars needed for the reconstruction,4.4 billion US dollars have been realized so far, according to the report.

    On Dec. 26, 2005, the Indian Ocean tsunami left over 169,000 Acehnese dead or missing and half a million homeless. Enditem

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