The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia on Monday evening 3 January 2005 organized a 'Memorial Nite' to honor and pray for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in the Indonesian provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra on 26 December 2004. Three religious leaders representing the Islamic, Christian and Hindu faiths each led prayers for the victims and for the well being of the people of Indonesia. The event also collected donations from the participants to the amount of around A$ 15,000.- that will be sent to the victims in the disaster area.

The event was attended by aproximately 250 people, including the Secretary of the Australian Department of Defence, Ric Smith, Head of the Royal Australian Air Force, Angus Houston AM, former Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Ambassador Philip Flood AO, Member of the Federal Senate of Australia, Annette Ellis, First Assistant Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Paul Grigson, members of the diplomatic community, several Australian religious leaders, and people of Canberra.

Indonesian Ambassador Imron Cotan during his welcoming remarks again expressed the gratitude of the Government of Indonesia to the Government of Australia and its people for responding promptly and decisively in the efforts to assist with relief aid in the disaster areas, whereas other countries were still in shock at the magnitude of the calamity. The Ambassador recognized that the initial numbed reaction of the world response was mainly caused by a perception that the threat to mankind came only from our fellow human beings and not from nature. Apart from the large number of casualties, the tsunami waves had fostered a sense of solidarity among countries of the world, especially between Indonesia and Australia. Ambassador Cotan further appealed to Australians to donate even more generously to ensure the success of the three-tier approach announced by Indonesian President Yudhoyono consisting of: emergency measures, rehabilitation measures, and reconstruction measures to those areas affected by the disaster. The Indonesian Government will host a special ASEAN Tsunami Summit meeting on Thursday, 6 January 2005 with a view to finance that program.

On behalf of the Australian Government, Mr. Grigson expressed the Australian Government's commitment to further assist the Government and people of Indonesia, not only in building the infrastructure of the area but also in the rehabilitation of the people affected by the disaster.

Canberra, 5 January 2005