Dr Za Hlei Thang, who was elected by the public as the Pyithu Hluttaw MP in the Chin State’s Falam Township during the 1990 Election, has died of lung disease in Maryland, United States on March 17.
Dr Za Hlei Thang was active in Chin national movement since he was young.
He was born in Tlauhmun Village under Falam Township, Chin State on April 6, 1943 and he died at the age of 75.
Dr Za Hlei Thang passed his matriculation exam from Myoma High School in Yangon and he was one of the three students from the high school who were allowed to attend the medical college.
He was arrested for signing the Proposals of the Chin Youths led by U Lian Uk which was submitted after the Revolutionary Council led by Gen Ne Win asked for suggestions in drafting the constitution.
He met with Salai Tin Maung Oo in the prison and invited him to join the Chin students’ movements. He actively strived to have Salai Tin Maung Oo serve as general secretary in the Chin Literature and Culture Committee. When the military intelligence was searching to arrest Salai Tin Maung Oo, Dr Za Hlei Thang hid him at his home for a long time.
Dr Za Hlei Thang assisted in the revolution of the Chin Democracy Party, which was led by MP Pu Mang Tling and William Sa Lian Zam and run parallel with U NU’s Parliamentary Democracy Party and carried out underground movements.
“Actually, Dr Za Hlei Thang was like a brother to me. I first met him at the Chin Literature and Culture Committee when I was a student. I was in touch with him when I was assisting in the issue of Pu Sa Liang Zam going underground. Then, we met at Bahan MI6 Interrogation Center after we were detained under the Sin-Pyu-Daw Operation by the BSPP military government in 1971 for demanding the Chin State and federal rights. We were sent to Insein Prison on the same day. When I was placed in solitary confinement in room 6 of building 4 in Insein Prison, he was in room 12. His room was directly in front of the bathroom so it is an exciting memory for me to greet him secretly when I went to take a bath in the morning,” said Salai Kipp Kho Lian, a comrade who was friends with Dr Za Hlei Thang since university days.
He joined the Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD) when political parties were established after the 1988 Uprising and he was elected as the MP for Falam Constituency – 2.
It was the period where the military intelligence were threatening the Pyithu Hluttaw MPs with various methods and his home was searched several times. Later on, the military intelligence charged him under the Printing and Publishing Act and he fled to Mizoram State, India while he was facing the trial.
“I was also living abroad and I was able to work with him again when the Chin Forum was established in 1998. Then, I was able to work with him again at the Chin National Front at the end of 2011. After that, I had the chance to visit his home in the U.S and he visited my home in Germany. We talked a lot about the past and exchanged our views for the future. Even though we didn’t have the same views, I will always remember him as my immediate colleague, brother and comrade who I have respected in my political life. I will always remember him as a Chin patriot who bravely worked for the Chin State and the Chin people. May my brother and comrade Za Hlei Thang rest in peace,” Salai Kipp Kho Lian said as he bid farewell to Dr Za Hlei Thang.
Dr Za Hlei Thang served as chairman of the CNLD while he was living abroad. He also served as the Education and Health Minister in the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), an exiled government led by Dr Sein Win. He actively served in the Chin Forum, the National Health and Education Committee (NHEC), and the Chin National Front (CNF).
