Johnny and Luther Htoo
Encyclopedia
Johnny Htoo and Luther Htoo (born circa 1988) are twin brothers who jointly led the God's Army
guerrilla
group – a splinter group of Karen National Union
– in Myanmar
(Burma) during the late 1990s. When they began leading the group in 1997, they are estimated to have been around ten years old.
According to followers, the twins gained fame in 1997 when they commanded the defenders of their village after troops of the Karen National Union had retreated. Various legends claimed that the brothers had numerous magical powers, including invulnerability to bullets and mines
and that they could hand out magical bullets. Supposedly, they could kill by pointing a rifle at the ground and concentrating. One tale claims that Johnny turned himself into an old man and back when bathing in a river. Luther claimed he had 250,000 invisible soldiers in his command when Johnny had 150,000. Their flesh-and-blood followers amounted to between 150 and 300 men. Their men referred to them as Bu Lu and Bu Joh. Both were chain smokers
.
God's Army was situated in Thailand
, just across the border from Burma. They were from the Karen
ethnic group and were a band of Christian
guerrillas who maintained an austere lifestyle, including abstinence from sexual intercourse, alcohol, milk, eggs and pork. In October 1999 God's Army seized the Burmese embassy in Bangkok
and the situation ended with their departure.
The Htoos came to worldwide attention in January 2000 when 10 members of God's Army seized a hospital in Ratchaburi
, Thailand. The group held 700 to 800 patients and staff members hostage
for 22 hours. They demanded the Thai government stop shelling Karen positions in Burma and treatment for their wounded. Thai security forces stormed the hospital, killing all 10 of the gunmen, allegedly after they had surrendered.
In a 2000 interview, Luther Htoo stated that he wanted freedom for Karens. They were pursued by the Tatmadaw (Burmese armed forces) and shunned by other Karen rebels.
The twins surrendered to Thai soldiers in January 2001 and requested sanctuary. By that time the number of their followers had dwindled to 20. They repudiated the stories about being invulnerable but insisted that God had helped them to survive over the years. They were reunited with their family. In July 2006, Johnny Htoo surrendered in Burma's military government with eight other members of God's Army in two groups.
God's Army (revolutionary group)
God's Army is an armed, revolutionary Christian force that opposed the military government of Burma. The group was an offshoot of the Karen National Union...
guerrilla
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
group – a splinter group of Karen National Union
Karen National Union
The Karen National Union is a political organisation with an armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army that represents the Karen people of Burma. It operates in Eastern Burma, and has underground networks in other areas of Burma where Karen people live. In Karen, this Karen area is called...
– in Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
(Burma) during the late 1990s. When they began leading the group in 1997, they are estimated to have been around ten years old.
According to followers, the twins gained fame in 1997 when they commanded the defenders of their village after troops of the Karen National Union had retreated. Various legends claimed that the brothers had numerous magical powers, including invulnerability to bullets and mines
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
and that they could hand out magical bullets. Supposedly, they could kill by pointing a rifle at the ground and concentrating. One tale claims that Johnny turned himself into an old man and back when bathing in a river. Luther claimed he had 250,000 invisible soldiers in his command when Johnny had 150,000. Their flesh-and-blood followers amounted to between 150 and 300 men. Their men referred to them as Bu Lu and Bu Joh. Both were chain smokers
Chain smoking
Chain smoking is the practice of lighting a new cigarette for personal consumption immediately after one that is finished, sometimes using the finished cigarette to light the next one. It is a common form of addiction.-Causes:...
.
God's Army was situated in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, just across the border from Burma. They were from the Karen
Karen people
The Karen or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...
ethnic group and were a band of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
guerrillas who maintained an austere lifestyle, including abstinence from sexual intercourse, alcohol, milk, eggs and pork. In October 1999 God's Army seized the Burmese embassy in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
and the situation ended with their departure.
The Htoos came to worldwide attention in January 2000 when 10 members of God's Army seized a hospital in Ratchaburi
Ratchaburi
Ratchaburi ) is a town in western Thailand, capital of the Ratchaburi Province. It covers the whole tambon Nai Mueang of Mueang Ratchaburi district. As of 2006 it has a population of 38,208.-External links:*...
, Thailand. The group held 700 to 800 patients and staff members hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
for 22 hours. They demanded the Thai government stop shelling Karen positions in Burma and treatment for their wounded. Thai security forces stormed the hospital, killing all 10 of the gunmen, allegedly after they had surrendered.
In a 2000 interview, Luther Htoo stated that he wanted freedom for Karens. They were pursued by the Tatmadaw (Burmese armed forces) and shunned by other Karen rebels.
The twins surrendered to Thai soldiers in January 2001 and requested sanctuary. By that time the number of their followers had dwindled to 20. They repudiated the stories about being invulnerable but insisted that God had helped them to survive over the years. They were reunited with their family. In July 2006, Johnny Htoo surrendered in Burma's military government with eight other members of God's Army in two groups.
External links
- Profile: God's Army at Bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...
- Not a Child Anymore: Johnny Htoo has come of age