NEWS - Brig. Gen. Tin Oo, Former My

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Subject: NEWS - Brig. Gen. Tin Oo, Former Myanmar Ruling Party Leader, Dead

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Brig. Gen. Tin Oo, Former Myanmar Ruling Party Leader, Dead at 71

            AP
            30-DEC-98

            YANGON, Myanmar (AP) -- Brig. Gen. Tin Oo, who was
            once general secretary of Myanmar's ruling party, died of a
            heart attack at his home today, family members said. He was
            71. 

            Tin Oo was removed from office in 1983 and sentenced to
            life imprisonment for misuse of state funds and property,
but
            was released after six years. 

            Tin Oo was a powerful figure in military intelligence under
            the rule of Gen. Ne Win, who overthrew a civilian
            government in 1962 and imposed one-party military rule over
            the country, also known as Burma. 

            The Burma Socialist Program Party impoverished what had
            once been the richest country in Southeast Asia. 

            In 1988, the people staged a revolt against military rule
that
            was bloodily suppressed. 

            Ne Win and his party then stepped aside in favor of a
            younger generation of officers who introduced a more
            market-oriented economy while keeping a firm lid on dissent.

            Tin Oo spent his retirement devoted to religion and
            meditation. He is survived by his wife and three grown
            children.