AVI Board letter to Director-General of UNESCO

The Chairman and Secretary of the Auroville International Governing Board have written to the Director-General of UNESCO regarding ‘disturbing developments’ in Auroville.

Noting that UNESCO has supported Auroville, they explain that “We are writing to you today to inform you about developments over the last three years that have shaken the very basics and fabric of Auroville, running counter to the noble aims of its founding idea as laid down in the Charter.”

The board members report that in its 56 years of existence, Auroville has proven worthy of the trust expressed by the UNESCO resolutions, statements and direct support. “For the last three years, however, Auroville’s development has been pushed in a different direction when a new Secretary to the Auroville Foundation took office, appointed by the Central Government. Together with a likewise newly appointed Governing Board, one of the three authorities of the Foundation, they started to dominate and sideline the other two authorities, namely the Residents’ Assembly and the International Advisory Council – thus disturbing the well-established balance between the three bodies as enshrined in the Auroville Foundation Act.”

The board members say that as a result the residents of Auroville have been “subjected to severe repressive measures and adverse developments for the community”, including non-recognition of existing administrative and working groups, legitimately elected by the Residents’ Assembly, and the establishment of groups with the same name, empowered by the Secretary and Governing Board, increasingly composed with Indian officials who have no connection to Auroville’s ideals and ethics; questionable land deals; the unnecessary destruction of thousands of trees, that take no account of ecological concerns and previous successes in environmental and climate protection and have a negative impact on the entire bioregion;  and refusal to sign recommendation letters for visas needed by non-Indian residents which increasingly jeopardises Auroville’s international character and undermines its founding idea.

The letter concludes, “We are reaching out to you to keep you informed about these difficult times for Auroville in which UNESCO has, like us, invested its high hopes for a brighter future of mankind. Please join us in our aspirations for a positive turn of events happening soon.”