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.

Za Hlei Thang was born on 6 April 1943 at Tlauhmun Village, Falam Township, Chin State.

[1] 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.

While he was in Insein prison, he met with Salai Tin Maung Oo who led student demonstration during the U Thant funeral crisis and Shwedagon Strike in 1974 and 1975 respectively.

He encouraged and help Salai Tin Maung Oo to be elected as general secretary in the Chin Literature and Culture Committee.

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.

[1] Dr. Za Hlei Thang wanted to serve the Chin people so he moved to Tahan in 1979 and opened the Highlander Clinic.

After the 1988 uprising, the State Law and Order Restoration Council prepared for a free election and allow political party to be formed.

He joined the CNLD for the sake of the unity of the Chin people and was selected as Vice Chairman for the party.

Consequently, his house was searched several times by military intelligence personnel and seized party related documents.

While he was released on bail, he stood as a candidate for Falam Constituency II and was elected as Member of Parliament in the Chamber of Deputies.

While action was being taken for infringing Section 20 of the Printers and Publishers Registration Law, he absconded to Aizawl in Mizoram, India, and so the court concerned then ruled he is an absconder.Dr.

Za Hlei Thang served as chairman of the Chin National League for Democracy while in exile.

He joined the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma in 1995 and was later appointed Minister of Social Welfare and Development.

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.