Archived Media Release
2 April 2006
Nias Commemoration Sunday 2 April
The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr Bill Farmer today thanked the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for their excellent cooperation in arrangements for the commemoration in Nias on Sunday 2 April for the nine Australian Defence Force (ADF) men and women who were killed in the Navy Sea King helicopter crash one year ago.
Yesterday families and friends of those whose lives were cut tragically short just one year ago attended the memorial. The nine Australian heroes died while making an outstanding humanitarian contribution by restoring basic services and medical assistance to Nias just days after the earthquake. While visiting Australia last year President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono, in a gesture much appreciated by the Australian people, awarded the Indonesian Humanitarian Service Medal posthumously to the victims of the crash.
The Australian government was represented at the commemoration in Nias by the Minister assisting the Minister for Defence, Mr Bruce Billson MP, the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Shalders, Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd and the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr Bill Farmer. During the visit Mr Billson expressed the gratitude of Australians to the people of Tuindrau village in western Nias who had assisted the survivors of the crash.
The high level of representation by the Indonesian government at the Nias commemoration yesterday reflected the depth of the Indonesian-Australian bilateral relationship. Indonesia was represented by Lt Gen. Endang Surarya, Chief of the General Staff, TNI headquarters, representing the Panglima; Major General Dadi Susanto, representing the Minister of Defence and Mr T. B Silalahi, representing the Agency for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (BRR).
“The commemoration was a reminder to both our countries of the common ties that bond us together as friends and neighbours”, the Australian Ambassador, Mr Bill Farmer said today in Jakarta.