Read through the clearinghouse thread.
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=734674.0"This initialization process is called "burning", but since viacoins are new and shiny, we decided not to actually burn them, but use them towards funding the ClearingHouse project looking forward."
"Q: What happens to the viacoins that I do convert to XCH?
A: They go to fund future development of ClearingHouse."
It is clearly stated by btcdrak in that thread that these funds are to be used for development, so I hope these aren't the funds btcdrak is currently having such a difficult time answering questions about...
to be fair, Drak HAS been clear about the use of the XCH VIA. some time in the past week or so he mentioned that 1MM VIA are available to support projects. i do not know how many total VIA were "burned"/raised in the XCH launch.
the source of all the angst for the past few weeks concerns the original ICO funds of 600BTC. Drak has not provided a clear answer to the status / use of those funds. some people claim that he has provided an answer, but so far nobody has provided a link or quote etc.
i don't think he's going to answer the question, so i'm at the point now where i am accepting his non-answer as an answer of sorts.