9 Years Of Aceh Tsunami, SBY And AHY Pilgrimage To Siron Mass Graves

The 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (young blue clothes) accompanied by AHY and Acehnese clerics on the Siron mass burial pilgrimage, Aceh Besar, Monday 25 December. (ANTARA/Rahmat Fajri)

BANDA ACEH - 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and his eldest son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (SHY) made a pilgrimage to the grave of victims of the 2004 Aceh earthquake and tsunami at the mass grave of Siron Aceh Besar Regency.

"This place used to be with my late beloved wife and Minister of Religion (deceased) to see the bodies of the martyrs (Aceh tsunami victims)," said SBY at the Siron mass grave in Want Jaya District, Aceh Besar, Monday, December 25.

In the pilgrimage ahead of the 19th anniversary of the Aceh tsunami, SBY was accompanied by his son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), the Secretary General of Democrats, the Chair and cadres of Aceh Democrats, and the ulama.

After the tsunami hit Aceh, said SBY, he and the late Mrs. Ani often visited Aceh, because the tsunami disaster was a history that could not be forgotten.

The tsunami, he continued, reminded all that the land of Aceh had experienced a major tragedy. Therefore, it is hoped that the nation's leaders will give their best for Aceh so that in the future it will be more just and prosperous.

He told the time of the tsunami, at that time he was in Papua. After hearing about this disaster, in the evening he immediately held a limited cabinet meeting in Jayapura.

Then, the next day, he immediately left Jayapura, but to get to Aceh, the plane he was traveling on at that time had to refuel in Ambon.

"That's why I immediately asked Mr. Jusuf Kalla at that time, please go first to Banda Aceh, and I went to Lhokseumawe on the second day. The third day I arrived in Banda Aceh," he said.

He said that after the tsunami, peace finally came for Aceh, until everyone together built life in Aceh.

Travel after the tragedy of the tsunami and peace of Aceh, today what needs to be done is to solve the existing problems properly. "This is an obligation, both the Aceh government and the center to jointly advance the land of Aceh," he said as reported by Antara.

However, beyond all that, SBY invites everyone to return to remember the Aceh tsunami, which has been 19 years. Let's pray and ask for the help of Allah SWT. "Hopefully we will be aware while asking Allah SWT for help to do everything that must be done in this land of God," he said.