Auroville, an experimental universal township situated in Tamil Nadu, South India, is calling for your urgent support. Scenes of chaos have been playing out for the last week (since 4 Dec) over imposed urban planning measures that include sudden bulldozing of buildings and forest that have been built up as part of the community for 50 years.

Based on the evolutionary vision of Sri Aurobindo, and endorsed by UNESCO as an experiment in human unity, Auroville is recognised for its achievements in the fields of afforestation, renewable energies, sustainable architecture, educational practices, collective living and social enterprise, and for offering space for spiritual development. Its residents comprise almost 3500 people from 58 countries. The role of Auroville’s residents in collective decision-making processes is described by a unique law (the Auroville Foundation Act 1988) for which India can rightly be very proud.

The aggressive events of the last few days override these long-standing participatory processes, and stand against the community’s commitment to realising human unity. These events of the last few days include: 

• midnight bulldozing of structures without warning to sleeping residents
• reports of police manhandling of residents, including temporary detention in police vehicles
• threats to people filming
• reports of large groups of people from outside the community being paid to enforce the clearance in an intimidatory manner
• silencing of freedom of speech through various measures
• misinformation and other polarising tactics

Despite the residents’ peaceful protests, efforts to negotiate and compromises, their request to postpone the development work on the Crown ‘right of way’ until further notice from the Residents Assembly has been ignored, and the intimidation continues.

See this website for a more detailed explanation of the conflict – which is centered around differing interpretations of the implementation of Auroville’s Master Plan policy framework. The current events blatantly ignore the community’s established and legally-upheld processes of collaborative decision-making in the Residents Assembly.

News reports and videos are going out around the world about the heavy-handed tactics being exerted on the residents – please check credible news sources. As residents attempt to bear witness to these devastating events, things are moving at a fast pace, and Aurovilians and supporters are deeply concerned about the level of escalating aggression, and possible risk of violence.

We urgently appeal to people around the world to show your support. Sign this petition, and spread the word about what is happening in our beloved community.

NB: please note, when you click the Sign Petition button, you will be prompted to donate. These funds go to CHANGE.ORG, and NOT to Auroville, nor this campaign.

Please Like our Facebook page and Instagram page. Please spread our appeal to your networks and help save a green and diverse Auroville!

For more information, see the Stand for Auroville Unity website. Or if you have time watch the award-winning film Ever Slow Green, about Auroville’s reafforestation.

---Petition Statement---

To the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi,

I urge you to intervene and stop the destruction in Auroville of biodiverse forest and buildings that is taking place without following proper processes. I appeal to you to ensure that the residents of Auroville are given meaningful participation in developing the city, forest and ideals of Auroville.

I stand in support of the Auroville community’s rejection of violence, threats and actions which undermine the community’s peaceful collective decision-making processes, and revive the path towards Human Unity as enshrined in the Auroville Foundation Act 1988.

I humbly request you to help restore peace in Auroville.