Za Hlei Thang

Za Hlei Thang (6 April 1943 – 17 March 2018) was a Burmese politician who was elected Member of Parliament as the Chin National League for Democracy candidate in the 1990 Myanmar general election. After the 1990 election, he fled Burma after the State Law and Order Restoration Council accused him of breaking the 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Act, Article 20. While in exile, he served as Chairman of the Chin National League for Democracy, a "Chin party in exile". He also served as Minister of Social Welfare and Development and Minister of Health and Education at the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma which is a "government in exile" led by Dr. Sein Win. He also served as Chairman of the Chin National Front which is a Chin insurgent group in Myanmar (Burma). He dedicated his life in the Chin national movement.

Early years and education Za Hlei Thang was born on 6 April 1943 at Tlauhmun Village, Falam Township, Chin State. He studied primary school at Tlauhmun village and continued to study middle school at Falam City, the then capital city of Chin Special Division (now Chin State). The government awarded scholarship to study at Myoma High School (Basic Education High School No. 2 Dagon) in Yangon. He passed his matriculation exam in 1964 and he was the only student qualified for Medical School from the school. He studied medicine at the University of Medicine-1, Yangon from 1965 onwards. He joined the Chin Literature and Culture Committee and was active in politics.

University activities On 2 March 1962 the Union Revolutionary Council led by General Ne Win staged a coup d’état’ against the democratically elected government in Burma. On 2 December 1968, The Union Revolutionary Council set up an Internal Unity Advisory Board to advise the Union Revolutionary Council on how to restore internal unity and to draft a new constitution for the country. The Union Revolutionary Council also officially invited the public to give suggestions for the Union constitution either on individual basis or in groups through a Liaison Officer appointed by the government.

He was also actively helping the Chin Democracy Party set up in Thailand, in alliance with U Nu’s Parliamentary Democracy Party to start an armed revolution against General Ne Win regime. As a result, he was arrested by the Burma Military Intelligence Services (MIS) for his role in aiding the underground movement of the Chin Democracy Party and also for signing the "Proposal of the Chin Youths". As, Salai Tin Maung Oo was a Chin ethnic, Za Hlei Thang invited him to join the Chin students’ movements. He encouraged and help Salai Tin Maung Oo to be elected as general secretary in the Chin Literature and Culture Committee. After the U Thant funeral crisis, he went underground and then returned to Yangon. When the military intelligence personnel searched to arrest Salai Tin Maung Oo, Dr Za Hlei Thang hid him at his house. Salai Tin Maung Oo was finally arrested by MIS and later secretly hanged in Insein Prison on 26 June 1976. Dr. Za Hlei Thang was released from Insein Prison in 1974 and he continued to study medicine. He obtained M.B.B.S. degree from the University of Medicine-1, Yangon in 1977. He worked as a house surgeon at Mawlamyine General Hospital from 1977 – 1978. It was his wish to be buried in his beloved hometown of Falam. A funeral service was held in Maryland, USA on 21 April 2018. Chin politicians, community leaders, church leaders, family and friends paid tribute to Dr. Za Hlei Thang. His coffin was flown to Yangon, Burma by Korean Airlines and arrived at Yangon International Airport on 2 May 2018. He was greeted by friends, families, comrades, politicians, church leader and various community leaders. Many organizations in Yangon laid wreaths on his coffin and paid him respect.

His coffin then reached Tahan on 3 May 2018. Again, he was greeted by mass public and his coffin was placed inside the hall of Lairawn Baptist Association. On the night of 3 May, devotion was made and the hall was filled with mourners. After a brief service on the morning of 4 May, his body was then transported to Falam by column of cars.

The people of Falam in their thousands greeted him at the entrance of the city. Chin tradition flint lock guns were fired in honour of his arrival. Chin traditional songs and poem were read to honour him. His coffin was then placed overnight in the Townhall of Falam. On 5 May 2018, funeral service was held at Falam Baptist Church and his coffin was then transported to the Lampa Cemetery. At the cemetery, the Chin National Army gave him a full military honour and his body was laid to rest by the Rev. Daniel Vai Lian Zul. After 28 years of leaving his beloved country, he finally rests in peace in his beloved city, Falam, the former capital of Chin Special Division (now Chin State).