John Mang Tling Biography

 

 

I was born in Sabawnpi in June 1, 1930 (birth date approx.). Attending Sabawnpi primary school in june 1936 and I finished a four-year study course at the end of March 1940. I was the youngest student in Miram area, who finished the school in four years. During those days, there was only one government-run middle school at Falam, the seat of a Commissioner, main headquarters of the Chin Hills.
                  Because of Second World War, we could not think of going up to the north and learn English at school. In Sabawnpi village, there was one gentle man by the name of Hicin who studied at Falam when we were just primary students. The second World War (or Japanese war) created a lot of problems and difficulties for the people of the region.           

                 When shifting to Darling village from Sabawnpi as my cousin brother, U Maung Chum urged us to stay with him, life for me there was just an ordinary one, nothing to learn or nothing to gain. All of us, young boys were daily watching the flying planes between India and Burma. They flew day and night and sometimes a number of 60 or 80 planes flying together were spotted with many fighter planes guarding the big ones from behind, beside or forward and amazingly beautiful. Many pilots died in Burma.          

                        In December 1945, we learned that the private middle school was opened at Hakha and we were delighted to study there without much thought about our financial background. Anyway, those who would like to study struggled for finding pocket money around and our first year 1946 took us to Hakha. First year students of Miram area were Van Tling, Chum kung, Lai Hno and myself. Excuse me if I have missed someone. 

                 After travelling for 7 days with a load of food on back, we reached Hakha in the morning of the eight day. I studied at Hakha from IV to VI class spending three years during which my examination positions were Ist or 2nd.
                  

                  With Ngun Mang, I moved to Falam State High School in 1949 and I was good at every subject in class VII except Burmese, thereby standing on the Ist during our first test. It was because of kindness of my classmate friend, Vum Ko Tual who advised me to get by heart two important poems in Burmese and on appeared in the test and I got a full mark of 20. During 2nd test, what my friend suggested did not come out in the test and I got zero. 

                      I did not look at the test paper pasted on board but my friend told me that I was around in the middle not the last. I just smiled knowing that I was too poor in Burmese. When the students from Farrawn private middle school moved to Hakha school, they were better in English than us but weak in Burmese because they did not have a Burmese teacher. 

                  When the Hakha students sent to the Falam State High School, it seemed we were better in English than those of Falam Students but much weaker in Burmese because Falam had a real Burmese teacher. Our Burmese teacher at Hakha was a Chin. The qualities of teachers were very important.                      

                From August 1950 to March 1951, I was appointed teacher teaching class VI at Hakha State High School and that time it was hard to find a qualified teacher.From 1951, I spent time in Matupi constituency delivering political speeches or discussing things of importance with village elders. 

                     As I was offered an Assistant Public Relations Officer by the first Chin Minister, the late U Vum Thu Maung, I accepted it with the suggestions and advice from subdivisional officer, MP U Sang Ning and my other political agents. From January 1952 to September 1955 I served as an APRO at Matupi, Kanpalet and Falam.

                  In 1956, I was elected as representative of the people (MP to the Chamber of Deputies) uncontested and I served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister during the split of Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League.

                   It lasted only three and a half months and there were three parliamentary secretaries to the office of Prime Minister, one Burmese, one Kachin and one Chin. I won the general elections in 1960 again and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to Foreign Minister. 

              During that time, I could attend the 47th Inter-Parliamentary Union conference held in Tokyo, Japan in October 1960. I was also included among the group to Beijing during the demarcation agreement held in Beijing, China where the Prime Ministers of China, the late Chou En-Lai and the Union of Burma, the late U Nu signed an agreement.
         

                  From 1963 I attended the Burma Divinity School at Insein and studied there for four years. As Burma Divinity School never accepted new students who didn't pass standard IX at least, it was a hard time for school committee members whether to accept me or not. 

              But, the principal Dr. Chit Maung said to me that he would meet committee members and decide on the matter. Fortunately, the committee allowed me to sit for the test which I passed. 

              I studied for four years, obtaining 80% of four-year grade, eligible to earn a B.th degree. Since I didn't even get a diploma except a certificate. 

             Dr. Chit Maung asked me to try to pass a matriculation exam within five years after which a degree be offered. But, there was no time for me to try and even if I tried, I won't pass Burmese, I guessed. I left Burma Divinity School in March 1967 and was appointed secretary of Matu Baptist Association. When I saw the sufferings of the people with no human rights, I decided to join revolutionary forces.

            With Tony Lian Thang and Paul, I left Matupi on 2nd December 1969 without telling even the pastor of the Matupi church. We reached Bangkok on 31st December. I met the late U Nu in Bangkok and I was included as one of the committee members when forming Parliament Democracy Party. 

              We, Chins later formed a party called Chin Democracy Party of which I was President, Sa Lian Sam (William), Vice-President, Thang Lian, Secretary, Mang Kham, Treasurer, Tony Lian Thang, Assistant Treasurer. 

                  We expected that many Chins would join us before long but our future expectation was totally wrong. I had been in ThaiLand for 23 years. Thanks with praise, the people of Thailand, who took care of us for those years under whose support we could just take in our breath.

                 I tried to get a refugee status from UNHCR to get away to a third country. I applied for it in 1980, 1985, and 1990 but no success. American Baptist Churches sponsored me in 1991 but without having a refugee status, it was almost hopeless for me. I requested Bob Cole, an Australian Baptist Evangelist to pray for me and he did. 

               He told me to go again to the office of UNHCR for a refugee status without which you won't be accepted by any embassy. By the grace of God, one man (Mon) called me on the phone to see him in UNHCR's office. When I went there, he asked me to see one Thai official and I was provided with a refugee status. Then, I flew to the USA in july 6th, 1993.

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