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Banda Aceh: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Saturday praised the rebuilding of Indonesia's tsunami-devastated Aceh province and pledged that Canberra would remain a long-term partner.
Australia was the first nation to offer aid to Indonesia after the disaster, sending transport aircraft and military personnel, as well as millions of dollars in government cash.
Rudd, on the final leg of a Asian trip after visiting Japan, said it was unimaginable what had happened when the monster waves hit the province of Aceh, which lies on the northern tip of Sumatra island, after a huge quake on December 26, 2004.
"I salute the courage of this community for having rebuilt this school," said Rudd, who reopened the Ulee Lheu Islamic school near the provincial capital of Banda Aceh that was reconstructed with Australian cash.
At least 297 out of 312 students were killed when the school was hit by the waves, while most teachers also died, he said.
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