Thailand/Myanmar: Thai: God's Army: Htoo twins reunited with their mother

(15 Mar 2001) Thai/Nat

The teen-age twins who led the God's Army rebel group have been reunited with their mother, more than a year after the family was split up during fighting with Myanmar troops.

The mother arrived Tuesday at the border patrol force base where Johnny and Luther Htoo have been held following their surrender to Thai authorities on Jan. 16.

The twins are believed to be 15 years of age but look much younger.

Police said their father will join them soon and the family will stay at the camp until the government decides whether to give them refugee status.

Whilst the cameras whirred on Thursday, the twins did not speak much, except to say they are happy to be with their mother.

The twins' parents already have refugee status and have been living in the Ban Ton Yang refugee shelter nearby.

The area is about 160 kilometers (100 miles) west of the Thai capital, Bangkok.

God's Army, which at its peak had about 150 fighters, had provided minor resistance in a wider guerrilla war by ethnic Karen rebels fighting for autonomy in Myanmar.

The twins' legend began around 1997 when Myanmar troops came to their village during a sweep of Karen areas.

The mainstream guerrillas group, the Karen National Union, reportedly fled while the twins rallied some men and directed a successful counterattack.

God's Army had stopped fighting since they lost their base at Ka Mar Pa Law, just inside Myanmar, in early 2000.

During the fighting, they became separated from their parents who trekked to Thailand.

Johnny, Luther and their small band held out for another year before arriving in Thailand, driven by hunger and exhaustion.

Fifteen followers who surrendered with the twins are also staying at the police base.

Since their surrender, the twins have demolished the myth built around them that they possessed mystical powers to repel bullets.

The twins became icons for youthful rebels around the world after the circulation of an Associated Press photograph showed the angelic-looking Johnny next to his tougher-looking, cigarette-puffing brother, Luther.

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