THAILAND: MYANMAR TEENAGE REBEL TWINS JOHNNY AND LUTHER HTOO HAVE BEEN REUNITED WITH THEIR MOTHER

Record ID: 646863

  • Title: THAILAND: MYANMAR TEENAGE REBEL TWINS JOHNNY AND LUTHER HTOO HAVE BEEN REUNITED WITH THEIR MOTHER
  • Date: 15th March 2001
  • Summary: SUAN PUENG, THAILAND (MARCH 15, 2001) (REUTERS) 1. SLV EXTERIOR OF BORDER PATROL BUILDING WHERE TWINS ARE LIVING 0.09 2. MCU/SV JOHNNY AND LUTHER HTOO; BORDER PATROL POLICE WATCHING TWINS (3 SHOTS) 0.47 3. SV/MCU TWIN'S MOTHER, THEE KAY, SITS DOWN WITH HER YOUNGEST CHILD; BORDER PATROL POLICE; MOTHER WITH TWINS; MOTHER WITH JOHNNY; BABY AT MOTHER'S BREAST (6 SHOTS) 1.31 4. MCU TWINS' OLDER SISTER WITH HER BABY; JOURNALISTS (2 SHOTS) 1.48 5. CU LUTHER HTOO; CU MOTHER WITH JOHNNY (2 SHOTS) 2.00 6. MCU (English) PHYAKPHAN POHKAEW, SUAN PUEND DISTRICT POLICE CHIEF: "They can do everything here. More food here. They can play football, volleyball. They can do everything here. I think they have good health." 2.17 7. MCU LUTHER WITH HIS MOTHER 2.29 8. MCU (English) PHYAKPHAN POHKAEW: "They have to stay here before (the) decision of the committee to consider their status." 2.40 9. SLV TANK OUTSIDE THEIR RESIDENCE 2.44 THAI-MYANMAR BORDER (FILE) (REUTERS) 10. MCU/CU LUTHER SMOKING A CIGARETTE WITH FOLLOWERS IN REBEL CAMP (2 SHOTS) 2.58 11. MCU/CU MORE OF TWINS AND ARMED FOLLOWERS IN JUNGLE CAMP (4 SHOTS) 3.25 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 30th March 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SUAN PUENG, THAILAND AND THAI-MYANMAR BORDER
  • City:
  • Country: Burma (Myanmar)
  • Reuters ID: LVA5XKN4XWI33XCB1H5XRWJOTD54
  • Story Text: Myanmar teenage rebel twins Johnny and Luther Htoo have
    been reunited with their mother near the Thai-Myanmar border.

    The boys are said to have led the infamous 'God's Army' --
    fighting against Myanmar forces in the jungle along the
    border.



    It's been more than a year since the twins have seen
    their mother. They've spent most of that time, deep in the
    jungle along the Thai-Myanmar border, leading a group called
    God's Army.

    Mystery has surrounded the twins for many years, with
    their followers claiming they possess magic powers and have
    been sent by God.

    The twins themselves have said they were in charge of
    400,000 invisible soldiers and had the ability to predict the
    future and change the shape of things around them.

    Many villagers in the border area where the twins lived
    with some 200 devoted followers believe the boys are
    reincarnations of ancient heroes of their ethnic Karen
    community, which has been at war with the Burmese for
    centuries.

    In January, they surrendered to Thai authorities and gave
    up their fight for independence from Myanmar. In an interview
    with journalists after their surrender, the boys spoke of how
    they used M-16s in the jungle and how they killed Myanmar
    soldiers. They also spoke about their wish to be reunited with
    their mother and, this week (March 15), their wish came true
    when she was allowed to visit them.

    The boys, now believed to be around 14 years of age, have
    been living at a border patrol police headquarters for the
    past two months. Their future remains uncertain, with the
    committee set up to decide their fate -- unable to reach a
    conclusion.

    The boys say they are happy where they are. And Suan Pueng
    District Police Chief, Phyakphan Pohkaew says they are better
    off with the police than at a refugee camp.

    "They can do everything here. More food here. They can
    play football, volleyball. They can do everything here. I
    think they have good health," he said.

    He says it could be more than two months before the
    committee reaches its verdict.

    "They have to stay here before the decision making of the
    committee to consider their status," he said.

    The twins will be reunited with their father later in the
    week. Both parents will be allowed to live with the boys until
    a decision is made on their future.


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