Volunteers from JTS Korea, a Buddhist humanitarian relief organization founded by renowned Korean Dharma master and Buddhist activist, Venerable Beom Nyeon (법륜스님), carried out their third humanitarian mission to provide assistance to Burmese refugees on the Thai-Myanmar border from May 12 to 18.
The third mission expanded JTS’s reach from the western border town of Mae Sot, which was the focus of their first and second relief efforts, to the northern regions of Chiang Mai and Chiang Dao.
The JTS team provided basic supplies and compassionate assistance to more than 1,000 beneficiaries in 20 districts, communities displaced by the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.
In 1993, Venerable Beom Nyeon founded the humanitarian relief organization, JTS (JTS), to embody the compassionate spirit of worldly Buddhism and the belief that “helping others is the best way to enrich one’s own life.”
Headquartered in Seoul, JTS has project offices in Korea, Germany, and the United States, as well as field offices in India and the Philippines. The relief organization has also been granted special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Myanmar has been mired in a political and humanitarian crisis since the military declared a state of emergency on February 1, 2021.
The military junta has detained President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, and other members of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party just as the new parliament was about to convene following a resounding victory in the November 2020 general election.
Since the coup, the military-led State Administrative Council has sought to consolidate its power through violent repression of public dissent and street demonstrations held in defiance of the military-led crackdown. Even the country’s revered Buddhist Sangha has become a target of the military.
The devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28 has further exacerbated the dangers of the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. The Thai border region has become a major refugee transit point and sanctuary for displaced persons fleeing military oppression in Myanmar.
Korean JTS volunteers based in Bangkok and Manila portrayed the daunting challenges faced by those fleeing persecution in Myanmar.
“The atmosphere at the border this year was more tense than last year, so we changed the way we support. Instead of having the aid delivered directly to us, we sent it to schools and centers and then distributed it directly to the field,” said a JTS volunteer.
As this period coincided with school holidays, we were not able to meet many students, which was unfortunate. However, we were able to have more meaningful and in-depth interactions with the few children we did meet.
With a mission to bring hope, empowerment and self-reliance to poor communities in developing countries, JTS is run and managed by unpaid volunteers, ensuring that all donations reach the marginalized communities the organization serves.
JTS works in countries hit by humanitarian disasters, aiming to “solve Asia’s poverty and suffering through the efforts of Asian people” and has completed humanitarian projects in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, North Korea, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
In Mae Sot, JTS delivered food essentials packages as people requested food more urgently than school supplies. In the Chiang Mai area, volunteers delivered both school supplies and food.
“In the first safe house we supported, we met a soldier who lost a leg to a landmine, a teacher who was arrested for anti-government activities, and some students who came to seek educational opportunities due to the collapse of public education in Myanmar,” said a JTS volunteer.
“The refugee school we visited before was still in poor conditions, but we were relieved to see it gradually become clean and tidy.”
In the Khong Tho Son refugee camp in Chiang Dao, the rice and other food sent in advance were neatly arranged, and the residents warmly welcomed the JTS volunteers. Residents lined up to receive the relief supplies: first the elderly, then the women, and then the men, and the young people helped the elderly who could not carry heavy objects on their own.
“The behavior of the residents, and the old lady who came back with a smile on her face after receiving the supplies, showed us that this is a community that naturally maintains good social order and takes good care of the elderly and vulnerable groups,” added a JTS volunteer.
After the distribution, we talked with the head of the refugee camp. We were deeply moved by his story of how he led about 600 people across the border to establish a settlement 20 years ago, against the backdrop of the military’s growing political oppression of the Shan ethnic minority, and built a stable refugee camp today with his own leadership and drive.
It made us reflect once again on how much change such leadership rooted in the right ideas, beliefs and dedication can bring.
The JTS volunteers’ itinerary also included a visit to an orphanage run by the refugee camp, which takes in children whose parents have died, been imprisoned or only been sent across the border.
At the temple school Wat Fah Wiang Inn, they spent time with young novices. At Ban Lak Taeng School, they played traditional games with the children.
As the political crisis in Myanmar continues and displacement increases, especially among ethnic minority groups, the need for continued grassroots support is growing. The ongoing efforts of JTS are a classic example of worldly Buddhism in action in the Thai-Myanmar border region.
They not only bear witness to suffering, but also respond with care and dedication. Their work reminds us that meaningful change begins when ordinary people step up and demonstrate extraordinary compassion in every way possible.
Pomnyun Sunim, the mentor of the Jungto Society, is a widely respected author and social activist. He has founded numerous organizations, initiatives, and projects around the world.
In October 2020, the Niwano Peace Foundation of Japan awarded Pomnyun the 37th Niwano Peace Prize in recognition of the revered monk’s contributions to international humanitarian work, environmental and social action, and his tireless efforts to build trust and goodwill among different faiths and cultural groups and achieve world peace.
