Abstract

A devastating tsunami caused the death and disappearance of a few hundred thousand people in several affected countries and left behind a much larger number disabled on 26 December 2004. Indonesia, particularly Banda Aceh, was one of the regions most devastated by the event. This research looks back at Acehnese survivors of the tsunami, with special emphasis on the displaced, disabled and disturbed among these individuals, in order to understand the degree and forms of trauma in these individuals as well as the levels and forms of their disability and coping mechanisms. Findings suggest that although sizeable post-tsunami efforts were made to improve the lives of victims, there was room for improvement still. The Indonesian tsunami experience points toward a need for tailored interventions intended to deal with a population traumatised by such extensive devastation.