BO HLA TINT- MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF BURMA GOVERNMENT IN EXILE

Bo HIa-Tint, born in 1957, graduated from the Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT) in 1981. Trained as a civil engineer, he worked as a field engineer in Burma’s Irrigation Department before he got involved in the political movement.

He played a leading role in Mogok, his native town, during the 1988 nationwide demonstrations for democracy that brought down the military-dominated Burmese Socialist Program Party (BSPP) government. He was arrested the day after the military staged a coup in the name of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) on September 18, 1988. He was released from prison after two months.

Upon his release, he joined the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate. He served as secretary of the NLD-Mogok City Organizing Committee. When the elections were held in May 1990, Bo HIa-Tint was elected to the Parliament of Burma from Mogok constituency (2) as a representative of the NLD. The NLD won 392 out of the 485 parliamentary seats in that election.

The military, however, refused to honor the election results and instead started arresting NLD leaders and elected representatives throughout the country. The NLD caucus held several secret meetings in Rangoon and Mandalay and decided to send some of its MPs to the liberated areas to form a provisional government. The main task of that legitimately elected government is to help restore democracy and human rights in Burma.

Bo Hla-Tint was one of the chosen representatives to form the government. He became a cabinet minister in the NCGUB when it was established at Manerplaw (Karen State) in December 1990. The NCGUB is headed by Prime Minister Dr. Sein Win, a cousin of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Currently, he is serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Finance Committee.

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