Boediono joins mass prayers in Aceh to commemorate tsunami

Five years on: Vice President Boediono visits the Tsunami Museum on Saturday in Banda Aceh. Boediono was in Aceh to observe the fifth anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami which devastated the area on Dec. 26, 2004. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)

Vice President Boediono continued his tour of Aceh to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami with a visit to the Siron Lambaro mass grave in Banda Aceh Saturday, where tens of thousands of tsunami victims were buried.

He later joined thousands of Acehnese at Ulee Lheue beach to commemorate the devastating tsunami five years ago.

Accompanying Boediono were former Aceh governor Mustafa Abubakar, currently the State SOE Minister, and former Aceh and Nias Reconstruction Agency (BRR) chairman Kuntoro Mangkusubroto.

Antara news agency reported that thousands of Acehnese joined in the mass prayers to commemorate the devastating tsunami that five years ago killed over 200,000 people, mostly in Aceh.

Some people openly wept while praying for loved ones killed in the tsunami.

Ansari, a local leader, told Antara news agency that other Acehnese conducted mass prayers in mosques across the province.

At Lhoong grand mosque, 200 people joined Saturday morning’s mass prayer.

Cleric Abdurrahman Idris told the Lhoong grand mosque congregation to cleanse themselves from sins and remind each other of the importance of avoiding sin and doing good deeds.