*RA WCom: Clarification re Circular by AVFO on 11th April, 2025* Dear Residents, Newcomers an...

*RA WCom: Clarification re Circular by AVFO on 11th April, 2025* Dear Residents, Newcomers and Volunteers, A Circular was sent out by the Auroville Foundation Office on the 11th of April 2025. We see that once again the Foundation Office and the groups and individuals who are recognized by them are attempting to erode our sense of community and spirit of unity by sowing confusion and fear. We wish to clarify some points of this circular: 1. *So-called “unauthorized meetings”:* Community gatherings of residents are not breaking any laws and it is therefore not required to obtain any prior approval. It is fully within the rights of residents to hold meetings to share information and experiences. The fact that the Foundation Office and its appointed groups are trying to stop residents from gathering shows their insecurity in their forcefully assumed positions and in their continuing attempts to control people at all costs. *The community getting together and being united is precisely what we must do*. See you all at the next meeting! 2. *The Working Committee and ‘office bearers’*: - The individuals mentioned in the circular as the ‘Working Committee’ *(Anu, Arun, Joseba, Partha, Selvaraj, Srimoyi and Tine) have not been constituted by the Residents’ Assembly (RA) as they claim* and in fact Anu, Arun, Partha and Srimoyi were specifically dismissed by the RA in a Residents’ Assembly decision of May 2022 (attached); Joseba, Selvaraj and Tine were co-opted by those dismissed. Claiming to have been selected by the RA while dismissing its decisions is an incomprehensible hypocrisy. - According to Section 20 of the Auroville Foundation Act, the RA will determine the manner of choosing and the term of office of its Working Committee. *Neither the Governing Board nor any employee or appointee of the Foundation office has any say in the selection, constitution or ‘recognition’ of the Working Committee.* - *Even if (and it is a big IF)* this group were the legitimate Working Committee - The term of office for which they were originally selected (before having been dismissed) *expired in January 2024, more than a year ago.* -*Srimoyi resigned* from the group on 21 March 2024 (which was later announced on Auronet) so she is therefore not just ‘inactive’ -*Anu also resigned* on 1 August 2024 and was announced on Auronet as a ‘resource person’ only - Therefore, these individuals are the ones impersonating ‘office-bearers’. *How can they call themselves the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly when they have been dismissed by the body they are meant to represent or were not selected at all by that body, the RA?* - It is unclear which regulations of Auroville are being violated by the unnamed ‘people who are impersonating office bearers’. This reference to unspecified regulations is continuing the pattern of threats being issued by the Foundation Office and its recognized groups. 3. *Ruling of the Chief Justice (CJ) of the Madras High Court (MHC)* The CJ of the MHC has stated that the RA as a statutory body must be allowed to carry out its functions as per Sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Auroville Foundation Act. (Reference modified interim stay order of September 4th, 2023.) 4. *Signatory*: There is no typed or printed name on this circular, only an illegible signature, so it is not clear who this ‘OSD’ is, even IF its contents were valid. The use of fear and coercion threatens to paralyze and silence us all. This is exactly the intention of these actions. Let us not give in to fear, remember that we are a community, that we are there for each other and can reach out, offer support, share, and be joyful together in this wonderful adventure. *“Do not give way, hold tight. It is when everything seems lost that all is saved.”* - The Mother With hope and faith, Aravinda, Bharathy, Chali, Mael (TOS), Matthieu, Prashant, Valli The Working Committee selected by the Residents’ Assembly