The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused significant damage to Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The two countries, which were in the midst of civil wars at the time, showed different approaches to disaster response. Indonesia signed a ceasefire with the Aceh separatists and concluded a peace agreement recognizing autonomy, cooperating to receive international support following the tsunami. In contrast, the Sri Lankan government continued its internal conflict, and even after the tsunami, it persisted in fighting with Tamil rebels, resulting in more casualties. The examples of these two countries demonstrate the importance of dialogue and cooperation in times of crisis.
