By a
vote of 214 ‘yes’ against 23 ‘no’, the Residents Assembly approved that
affected individuals can appeal against decisions of some working groups.
Judging by the presence of three conflict
resolution methods for a population of barely 2,500 people, children included,
one could argue that Aurovilians are a quarrelsome lot. To the triad –
mediation, restorative circles and arbitration – a fourth has now been added,
that of appeal against decisions of some major working groups.
The new appeal process is the baby of the
Auroville Council and Koodam, Auroville’s conflict resolution centre. It wasn’t
an easy birth. The gestation period was long and tiresome, even though all the
working groups agreed that there is a need for an appeal process. Objections
were raised mainly against the appeal body’s ultimate right to overturn a
working group’s decision. Would the appeal process become something of an objector’s
charter? The issues were discussed for almost two yea...
>> More
>> More