As pictures emerged earlier this year of the earthquake devastation in Haiti the images of loss, anguish and destruction were chillingly familiar. We'd seen this before and on our own doorstep.
The tsunami, which slammed into coastal communities from Thailand to Sri Lanka and beyond exacted its most appalling toll in Aceh, Indonesia where about 170,000 people were killed.
Once the epic scale of the disaster became apparent Australia and other nations around the world pledged help and billions in aid. The destructive surge of the sea had been replaced with a well intentioned surge of global support.
Indonesia Correspondent Matt Brown has discovered that rebuilding effort has been chaotic and in places very uneven. He meets former merchant banker turned hands-on helper Sara Henderson who learned quickly not to make the same mistakes as some aid agencies that had constructed homes for non-existent villagers.
"When I was designing the houses I though oh how great I'll give them an inside bathroom, I'll give them an inside kitchen oh this is going to be wonderful and when they saw the plan they were horrified and they said no, no, no, no they didn't want the bathroom inside, they didn't want the kitchen inside and so I think listening is very, very important."
SARA HENDERSON
But Matt's also discovered - as if it were possible - one very positive consequence of the Boxing Day tsunami. It served to wash away a divisive, bitter and protracted civil war.
It quickly became to clear to everyone from the Indonesian Government to the rank and file of the separatist movement GAM that only peace and cooperation would see Aceh emerge from the rubble of flattened communities.
GAM guerrillas put down their weapons , Jakarta pulled back its soldiers, a deal was cut for limited autonomy and former separatists like Nurdin Abdul Rahman took the reins of devastated districts.
"The tsunami had alerted the people of Aceh that this is the only chance for better
life, for peace for Acehnese."
NURDIN ABDUL RAHMAN
Now though, there are signs the goodwill that followed the tsunami is giving way to tension and former GAM foot soldiers who now believe Jakarta has welched on its side of the deal and are contemplating a return to their armed push for independence. Elsewhere there are signs of a festering Moslem militancy and Foreign Correspondent has obtained video of the worrying activities of one such group.
Further information
For details or to donate to Sara Henderson's foundation Building Bridges to the Future
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