Photojournalist Association Holds Exhibition to Mark 17 Years of Aceh's Tsunami

TEMPO.CO, Banda Aceh - The Indonesian Photojournalist Association (PFI)-Aceh Chapter held a photo exhibition on December 25-26 to commemorate 17 years of deadly earthquake and tsunami that rattled Aceh Province on December 26, 2004.

“This exhibition is aimed at reminding us of not forgetting the events that had devastated Aceh. It is aimed to remind us of the dangers of COVID-19," Chairperson of PFI-Aceh Chapter Bedu Saini said on Saturday.

The photo exhibition-related activities are centered at the Lampulo Floating Boat and Ulee Lheue Port, Banda Aceh.

Saini said the exhibition is an annual event that the association holds to exhibit the works, shot by photojournalists from various parts of Aceh, Indonesia's westernmost province which is situated on the northern tip of Sumatra Island. 

He revealed that the theme chosen for this year's exhibition was 'Pandemic Tsunami,' which was intended to remind people of the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended yet. Thus, the public is still demanded to comply with the health protocols.

Head of the exhibition’s organizing committee, Eko Deni Saputra, said that the event exhibits a total of 71 journalistic photos, 17 of which are post-tsunami works of Bedu Saini and M Anshar.

"Specifically, the 17 journalistic photos displayed at Ulee Lheue Port are related to the 2004 earthquake and tsunami. We purposely chose to exhibit 17 photographs (there) because we are commemorating the 17th anniversary of the tsunami this year," he explained.

Meanwhile, at the Lampulo Floating Boat, the association exhibits as many as 54 photographs related to the handling and prevention of COVID-19 in Aceh.

"The journalistic photos are the works of Aceh PFI members who work for local and international media outlets," Saputra remarked.

Read: Traumatic Event of 1992 Tsunami Still Haunts Selayar Islanders: BNPB

ANTARA