THREE SLORC MINISTERS UNDER INVESTI

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

 DATE=11/24/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-223149

TITLE=BURMA / CORRUPTION (L ONLY)

BYLINE=GARY THOMAS

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:  


INTRO:  THREE EX-MINISTERS AND AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF SENIOR 

OFFICIALS IN BURMA ARE REPORTED TO BE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR 

CORRUPTION.  VOA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR 

SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.


TEXT:  SOURCES IN THE BURMESE CAPITAL SAY THREE TOP GENERALS WHO 

LOST THEIR POSTS IN A RECENT GOVERNMENT RESHUFFLE AND AN UNKNOWN 

NUMBER OF OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR 

CORRUPTION.


ACCORDING TO THESE SOURCES, THE BUREAU OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS 

HAS BEEN CONDUCTING A LENGTHY PROBE INTO ALLEGATIONS OF GRAFT IN 

SEVERAL MINISTRIES, WITH PARTICULAR  FOCUS ON THE COMMERCE 

MINISTRY. 


DETAILS, HOWEVER, REMAIN HAZY UNDER A SHROUD OF BURMA'S OFFICIAL 

SECRECY. GOVERNMENT SPOKESMEN WERE NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FOR 

COMMENT ON THE PROBE, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO MENTION OF IT IN THE 

STATE-RUN MEDIA.


THE RULING STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL WAS ABOLISHED 

LAST WEEK AND REPLACED WITH A NEW "STATE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT 

COUNCIL.",  ALTHOUGH NO OFFICIAL REASON WAS GIVEN FOR THE 

SHAKEUP. DIPLOMATS SAY ONE OF THE REASONS WAS TO CLEAN UP THE 

GROWING PROBLEM OF CORRUPTION, AS WELL AS TO ELEVATE YOUNGER 

OFFICERS TO POSITIONS OF POWER. 


IN THE SHAKEUP SEVERAL SENIOR GENERALS LOST THEIR POSTS, 

INCLUDING THREE OF THOSE REPORTEDLY UNDER INVESTIGATION -- 

COMMERCE MINISTER TUN KYI, , HOTELS AND TOURISM MINISTER KYAW BA, 

AND AGRICULTURE MINISTER MYINT AUNG. THE THREE MEN WERE RELEGATED

TO A NEW "ADVISORY COUNCIL."


ONE REPORT SAYS THE THREE MEN ARE UNDER HOUSE ARREST, BUT THAT 

HAS NOT BEEN INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED.  SOURCES SAY AT LEAST A 

DOZEN TOP AIDES HAVE BEEN DETAINED FOR QUESTIONING.


CORRUPTION HAS REPORTEDLY WORSENED IN RECENT YEARS, AS BURMA 

OPENED UP ITS ECONOMY AND TRIED TO LURE FOREIGN INVESTMENT. 

DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SAY SOME GENERALS AND SENIOR AIDES WERE 

DEMANDING KICKBACKS IN RETURN FOR OFFICIAL APPROVAL FOR VARIOUS 

PROJECTS.


DIPLOMATIC ANALYSTS SAY THE SENIOR RANK OF THE TOP GENERALS WILL 

PROBABLY SAVE THEM FROM IMPRISONMENT, BUT THAT OTHER, 

LESSER-RANKING OFFICIALS WILL LIKELY GO TO JAIL.