Myanmar's ruling military council has dismissed a top member and a deputy prime minister in one of its most significant shake-ups in recent years.
State-run newspapers reported on Saturday that the State Peace and Development Council's (SPDC) secretary three, Lieutenant General Win Myint, widely regarded as the fourth most powerful man in the country, had lost his job. The SPDC orders, signed by the powerful secretary one and intelligence Chief Khin Nyunt, also announced the sacking of deputy prime minister and minister of military affairs Lieutenant General Tin Hla. Tin Hla, who had supervised economic affairs and interests of the armed forces, is not a member of the 17-member military-led SPDC. The military has been running the country since 1962.
The SPDC did not give reasons for the dismissals, but diplomats in Yangon said the two men had long been rumoured to have had personal business connections with the private sector. ''It has long been the talk of the town of some possible corruption involved. I think this would improve the image of the government,'' a diplomat said.
The SPDC's sackings coincide with the fourth anniversary of its formation announced on November 15 1997. The military body includes most members of the previous ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) which seized power in 1988 and later changed its name.
Diplomats speculated that there could be some more purges of senior government officials or cabinet members on the eve of the SPDC anniversary next week. Bureau Report