House legislator found dead in N. Sumatra

JAKARTA (JP): A House of Representatives legislator representing Aceh, Tengku Nashiruddin Daud, has been killed, with House Speaker Akbar Tandjung suspecting on Monday that politics might be behind the murder.

While announcing the death of Nashiruddin, Akbar said the killing was likely linked to the United Development Party (PPP) representative's presence in the House special commission that is investigating past atrocities in Aceh. Nashiruddin was the commission's deputy chairman.

"There is a strong possibility that his death is related to the Aceh case," Akbar said.

Nashiruddin's body was only identified by his family on Sunday evening at Pirngadi Hospital in Medan, five days after it was found at the Pancur Batu tourist resort in the northern part of the North Sumatra capital. Local residents also discovered another body, which remains unidentified.

Severe injuries, including a gun shot wound, were found on the legislator's body.

Akbar said Nashiruddin was kidnapped at the Aceh representative office in Medan by an unidentified group a day before he was found dead.

The 58-year-old Nashiruddin's death came on the day of President Abdurrahman Wahid's visit to Sabang on Weh Island off Aceh.

House Secretary-General Sri Sumaryati said Nashiruddin was not on an official trip assigned by the House during the time of his abduction.

"Nashiruddin was not among the legislators who accompanied President Abdurrahman on his visit to Sabang recently," Sri said.

She said Teuku Syaiful Ahmad from the National Mandate Party (PAN) and Karimun Ismu from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) were the legislators assigned to join the President's trip.

Asked who might be responsible for the murder of Nashiruddin, Akbar said that he had no idea.

He said Nashiruddin was an outspoken legislator who often criticized the Indonesian Military (TNI) for its role in alleged human right violations in the province.

"He (Nashiruddin) actively asked questions of TNI generals in the recent House hearing on Aceh," Akbar said.

He asked the security authority to take stern measures against the armed separatist movement in the province.

"We will cooperate with the security authority to investigate the murder," Akbar said.

The body of Nashiruddin was transported to the Aceh capital of Banda Aceh on Monday for burial.

Condolences poured in on Monday following the announcement of Nashiruddin's death, including from members of the Aceh chapter of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI).

A MUI executive, Rusjdi M. Ali Muhammad, described the murder as "a tragedy that must not be repeated in the future".

The ulemas called on the police to capture whoever was responsible for the murder, Antara reported.

Violence has been rife in Aceh over the past year, despite the lifting of a decade-long military operation to quell the separatist rebel movement there. The independence demand has been heard everywhere in the restive province, but the government and the House have ruled it out. (50/jun)