Indian Ocean tsunami anniversary: Memorial events held

In Indonesia's province of Aceh - the worst hit area - Vice-President Jusuf Kalla led tributes to the dead at the Siron mass grave.

Memorial ceremonies also take place in Thailand and Sri Lanka.

More than 200,000 people died when an underwater earthquake set off massive waves on 26 December 2004.

In Aceh's capital, Banda Aceh, Mr Kalla thanked local volunteers and the outside world for helping Aceh recover from the tragedy.

He also presented awards to ambassadors from the donor nations.

Earlier, thousands of people earlier gathered at the city's Great Mosque - a 19th Century building that was one of the few structures in the town to survive the tsunami.

The mosque's imam, Asman Ismail, said the tsunami had taught a "valuable lesson" to Aceh, which had been the scene of an armed conflict for nearly 30 years.

"After the tsunami, no-one fights against each other, people live in harmony and peace till this day," he said.

Efforts to end the conflict resumed after the tsunami, culminating in a peace deal between the government and the rebels in August 2005.

(BBC)