by Mulyanda

    BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Indonesians in Aceh province gathered at mosques and other religious centers Tuesday to mark the second anniversary of tsunami that left 170,000 people died or missing in Indonesia in 2004.

    National flags of red and white are raised half-mast for three days, showing condolences for those who died in the tsunami, that struck over 800 kilometers of the coastal areas in the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Dec. 26, 2004.

    In a mosque called Subussalam in where hundreds of bodies were laid two years ago, over 2,000 people, including Aceh's top officials, clerics, residents and students prayed for the good of the spirit of the tsunami victims and for the lasting peace between the separatist Free Aceh Movement and Jakarta.

    "Let's pray for the spirit of the deaths," said Aceh Governor Mustafa Abu Bakar.

    "Let's pray for the peace deal in Helsinki," he added.

    With tears in his eyes, an Imam, the leader of the praying, begged God for the lasting peace in the province and preventing further disaster on the oil-and-gas rich province.

    At least 42 people have died and ten others were still missing in floods and landslides in five regencies in the province since Friday, according to the spokesman of the provincial administration Hamid Zein.

    The officials then visited mass graves in the district of Uleleand Lambaro in Banda Aceh, the capital of the province.

    Nurdin Ahmad, 42, who lost his wife and house in the tsunami, looked sad during the praying.

    "This is a test from God," he said.

    "I am grateful to the international aid, because I can rebuild my house, otherwise I would keep staying in the camp," he told Xinhua on the sideline of the commemoration.

    International solidarity came to Aceh immediately after the tragedy with aids and financial assistance of 7.1 billion U.S. dollars for a four-year reconstruction and rehabilitation. Over 5.9 billion dollars of the promises have been realized now, said the head of the relief agency Kuntoro Mangkusubroto.

    In addition to Aceh, Indonesia also marked the tragedy in the beautiful resort of Bali Island along with the simulation of tsunami early warning system, Director at the Indonesian Agency for the Assessment and Application Technology Yusuf Surachman Djajadiharja told Xinhua by telephone from Jakarta Tuesday.

    Head of the agency Mangkusubroto said that Aceh has passed the second year of post tsunami and "now is the time for us to look atthe future and be productive."

    He said that housing is the main priority, as there are still 11,703 families living in barrack now.

    "A breakthrough must be conducted to solve the land ownership dispute," he said, "We want to meet (the target of houses) as quick as possible."

    The agency now is on the spotlight, the success of the relief work and the smooth implementation of the peace deal between the rebels and Jakarta will determine the stability in the restive province of Aceh.

    In addition to the lasting peace, economic development is the main hope for the Acehnese now.

    The World Bank top representative to Indonesia Andrew Steer praised the progress in Aceh, and said that long-term economic development program is needed after the relief works are completed.

    "I think it has been broadly successful. If you compare with three years ago, it looks amazing," he told Xinhua.

    In coastal areas in Banda Aceh which was leveled by the tsunami two years ago and full of debris, many new housed have already been, or are being, built.

    However, he said that the construction of infrastructure will be a challenge as the local government is weak.

    "I think more difficult is in infrastructure, because the local government is so weak," he said.

    Aceh has just completed the first direct gubernatorial election to cement the peace pact in Helsinki, Finland on Aug. 15, 2004 to halt the three-decade bloodshed between the rebels and Jakarta that has claimed over 15,000 lives, mostly civilians.