Thousands of Acehnese flocked to mosques and other places to commemorate the tsunami which killed over 230,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and the Maldives on Dec. 24, 2004.
In Aceh province at the northern tip of Sumatra island, over 170,000 people were killed or missing in the tsunami, which also caused massive destruction to infrastructures.
In Aceh, the commemoration centered in mosques and fields by conducting mass pray for the spirits of the victims and the progress of Aceh.
Indonesian Vice President Boediono is to lead the commemoration in one of the hardest-hit areas of Ulee Lheu in the capital of Banda Aceh on Saturday.
He visited the tsunami museum in Banda Aceh and along with hundreds of Acehneses led pray in Sireun mass grave for the goodness of Aceh.
Over the past five years, Aceh has completed its four-year reconstruction and rehabilitation valued at 7.1 billion U.S. dollars donated
by the international community.
Hundreds and thousands of houses and scores of roads, education and health facilities, sea ports, airports and a number of other
infrastructures, have been rebuilt in the province.
"I expect that the development of infrastructure can be sped up, particularly roads, because it could make economy run well," Darmasiah, a 43-year-old housewife, told Xinhua in Calang of Aceh.
The province has registered over 4 percent economic growth, much higher than during the conflict which was at minus 3 percent, Aceh Vice Governor Muhammad Nazar said.
Indonesia, which is laid on the vulnerable quake-hit area called the "Pacific Ring of Fire," has installed tsunami warning devises along its
coastal areas, which could warn people to escape before tsunami occur. Drill on the possible dangers have also been carried out. A task force
which can move fast for emergency assistance at the scene of disaster has been established.
The province has built tsunami evacuation centers.