Aug9,2011 1.

Dear Tamil Leaders and Members of the Tamil community, It is with great pleasure that I write this letter to all members of our community, members and executives of Tamil Youth Organizations all over the world. 1 was the president of Tamil Youth Organization during 2003 to 2005 period. I was one of the founding members of TYO. I was the president of the Toronto chapter during the mentioned period. I am currently detained in a New York detention center serving my fifth year of a 25 year sentence on Terrorism charges. I am writing this letter to all my fellow youth brothers and sisters whom are following the same path as I had that had eventually landed me to a prison in New York . I am suffering today. My family is suffering. My friends are suffering. When suffering hits one person, it hits everyone around that person, I am suffering, which have resulted in everyone around me suffering. I am suffering physically, mentally, financially, medically, and morally.; I can write many pages outlining the hardship I am going through. I don't want to put too much burden on my readers. But I must outline the suffering I am facing as a result of my actions in the past. Beyond all this, I feel obligated to share some words with you fellow brothers and sisters. 1 must share my experience with you all so that you can make wiser decisions on your next activities. I was a highly motivated and emotionally active youth during my term as a president of the TYO Canada which operated as part of the LTTE. During these times, I was misled by many so-called community wellwishers. There was never a common understanding by these so-called local leaders to find a real solution to our cause. I had been to many meetings with these well-wishers where our true vision and our feelings as a youth were never given any consideration when executing our next actions. 1 had attended many meetings with many members of our community, where durable solution was never accepted by the well-wishers. I look back, there were so many controversial meetings that was aimed at triggering our anger and hate towards fellow citizens of Sri Lanka . I am sure and fully aware that all of you would be going through the same procedures and attending similar meetings and seminars hosted by the socalled well-wishers. 1 am only sharing my personal experiences with you. Yes, there were few individuals that did try to preach us non-violence approach to the national question. But those voices would be silenced somehow by the wellwishers under the pretext that liberation is around the corner. I am writing this letter from my cell unit. I only ask that you be vigilant of these people. I ask that none of you choose a path where violence is encouraged. Please don't be a catalyst for promoting any form of violence or hate. LTTE is no more. We must accept the fact and move on with the reality. I ask that all you brothers and sister to

refrain from LITE ideology. I ask that you take part in helping the affected people of the war. I ask that you be the true guide for them, and not to leave them isolated. Please don't let the so-called well-wishers guide you to further destructions instead let your own vision guide you towards your next achievement. Our people need you, use your vision as your guide and help our people. I must admit to the much hate that injected into me during my time as a president of TYO. As Tamils we must reject violence and embrace peace. If each of you just sit down and think about how much hate you have within you and try to admit to the amount of hate you have with you, you will be liberated, you will feel the power within you to help the people that need you at this moment. Make yourself free. Please I beg you to think freely. I beg you not to get trapped in the extremist ideologies. Just for once, please sit down and think about this. A true human is someone who does not hate others for who they are and help when it is needed. For the past 5 years, I along with other fellow youths am serving sentences in New York . To add to the suffering, my family has been banned from visiting us under certain sections of the Law. I have not seen my parents for the past 3 years or any members of my family. I have had no visitor at all for the past 3 years. 1 write to you to explain my suffering for the path 1 had chosen. I regret many of my past activities. Meetings after meetings, campaign after campaign, all injecting hate into me and other fellow students. With my whole heart, I ask one and only one thing from you all. Just for you to think freely and help our people come out of the suffering. Our people have gone through enough suffering. This type of suffering and loss should not be experienced by anyone in this world. Suffering after suffering, our people has had enough. Let our people live with dignity and freedom. I ask you to think freely and take part in rebuilding the lives of the people whom had gone through tremendous suffering. Please let them live. I am here, unable to contribute to the rebuilding the lives of my people in Sri Lanka . T am fully confident that my brothers and sisters of youth organization including TYO will step up and take part in some form or another in contributing to peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka . As a former TYO president and a human being who walked in the same path as yourself, I ask you to change your tactics and help people. I ask this as brother to you all.
Thank You and May God Bless You and our people Satha Sarachandran