Bangkok: Former Myanmar Foreign Minister
Win Aung died in Yangon's notorious Insein Prison where he was
serving a seven-year sentence for misuse of authority,
official sources confirmed. He was 65.
Win Aung died in his cell around 2 am Wednesday morning,
the sources said. Sources close to his family said he died of
a stroke.
A former military intelligence officer and ambassador to
Britain and Germany, Win Aung served as foreign minister from
November 1998 until September 2004 when he and other
proteges of then Prime Minister Gen. Khin Nyint, who doubled
as chief of military intelligence, were purged.
The government initially said Khin Nyunt had resigned for
health reasons, but authorities later said he was removed due
to involvement in massive corruption. He remains under house
arrest.
Win was placed under house arrest for two years after
being sacked, and in 2006 he began serving a seven-year jail
term after being found guilty of misuse of authority.
He is survived by his wife and three children -- a
daughter and two sons.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, November 06, 2009, 16:46