Abstract:
This qualitative research studied the ethical principles of the volunteers in relief agencies
run by charity organizations; it was done to study views regarding ethical problems in their work;
and to study suggestions for solving those ethical problems. Methodologies consisted of
documentary research and field research, in which in-depth interviews were conducted with two
groups of people, volunteers in the Ruamkatanyu Foundation and personnel whose work is related
to relief agencies.
The documentary research showed that Western ethical theories and Buddhist ethics share
some features. Aristotle focused on virtues while Ross emphasized prima facie duties. These
virtues and duties also appear in some of the Buddhist ethical principles. Moreover, while Mill
stresses the Greatest Happiness Principle, and Kant considers good will to be the most important,
Buddhist ethics takes into account both happy consequences and good will. The field research
showed that ethical problems found in volunteer’s work were a lack of knowledge about first aid,
victims’ loss of property, work seizing, forensic issues, and poor image.
Suggestions are : Volunteers should be screened and morally developed in accordance with
the ethical principles for volunteers, which consist of loving-customs, honesty, respect for
victims’ rights, and never discriminating by sex, color, race, religion, age, or political ideology.