Immense grief: A woman weeps as she remembers loved ones on the eighth anniversary of the devastating tsunami in Banda Aceh. Thousands of Acehnese families lost loved ones on Dec. 26, 2004, as the tsunami hit coastal areas. JP/Hotli Simanjuntak For the Acehnese, dark memories of the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami will always linger given that the disaster took the lives of many of their relatives, friends and loved ones and wrecked havoc on their communities.

On Wednesday, the Acehnese spent time marking the Indian Ocean Boxing Day tsunami in different ways, mostly with mass prayers.

Fishermen in Lam Pulo even decided not to go out to sea, having agreed to take a day off to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the disaster to show respect to those who died.

“Eight years ago seems just like yesterday for us, but whatever the challenge, I have to move on and support my fami...