[Press release]
May Peace and Compassion be with the People of Myanmar

The Jogye Order launched the fund-raising campaign to aid Myanmar’s democratization

1. Dream In Us, the international relief arm of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism (chaired by Most Ven. Wonhaeng, the president of the Jogye Order) released a statement on March 16 condemning the extreme violence the military is using against its own people in Myanmar and launched a fund-raising campaign under the slogan of “May Peace and Compassion be with the People of Myanmar.” which will continue until June 30.

2. When Myanmar\'s ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party led by Aung San Suu Kyi won the general election by a landslide on November 8, 2020, securing 396 seats (83.2%) out of the total 476 seats in the parliament, the military commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing seized control claiming widespread election fraud and detained the State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD party leaders. Starting from February 6, mass protests have been taking place across Myanmar.

3. At least 261 deaths, including children, were confirmed (as of March 23) as security forces opened fire to protesters, with at least 2,150 people arrested. As the violence escalates, Myanmar’s military junta is blaming the citizens for taking to the streets.

4. Dream In Us (chaired by Most Ven. Wonhaeng, the president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism) expresses its support and offers prayers for the pro-democratic movement by the people of Myanmar, calling for the return of the democratic rule to the country and immediate release of the lawfully elected leaders including the State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The Jogye Order also demands that all acts of violence against demonstrators be stopped and the crisis be resolved by peaceful, lawful, and democratic means.

5. The Jogye Order will ask major Buddhist temples (headquarter temples, centrally administered temples, temples with Buddhist cultural heritage, National Bhiksuni Association) to join the campaign and also work with the Buddhist newspapers and TV stations to raise awareness about what is happening in Myanmar and drum up the support for the campaign among lay Buddhists.

6. The money raised through the campaign will be used to reinstate democracy in Myanmar and help the casualties of the military junta’s violent oppression. The details about how to deliver the funds to Myanmar citizens will be decided after further discussion.

7. Ven. Ilhwa, the director of Dream In Us said, “The Jogye Order cannot but raise a grave concern over the massacre committed by security forces, killing unarmed citizens including innocent children. We pray that the victims of those lethal crackdowns be reborn in the Buddhist Pureland and peace and compassion be restored in the land of thousand stupas, and ask Korean Buddhists to render support to the cause of Myanmar’s democratization, including a donation to the fundraising campaign.”

8. Dream In Us is also distributing the design data file for the banners calling for the support for the people of Myanmar, which both domestic and overseas temples in the Jogye Order are using to print the banners and display them on the premises to encourage the congregation to contribute.

*Campaign: March 17~ June 30, 2021
*Bank account info.: Nohyup 301-0288-7198-21 (Account holder: Dream In US)