A new insect disease that can pose a serious threat to coconut cultivation has been detected in Galle for the first time in Sri Lanka.

Galle area manager of the Coconut Development Board H.G.Hemantha revealed this at the Galle District Agriculture Committee meeting yesterday (30).

He said that this disease is a serious disease spread by an insect called Brontispa and so far coconut plantations affected by this disease have been identified along the coast from Dodanduwa to Kaburugamuwa.

He said that at least 4,000 such infested trees have been identified.

“Morris”, the uncle of Manju Nisshanka who is an activist of the group that released the video of Nathasha Edirisooriya, is a member of the LTTE diaspora, Balangoda Kassapa Thera alleged.

Edirisooriya is currently in remand prison for allegedly making a controversial statement.

Addressing a press conference, Kassapa Thera said not only Edirisooriya, but also others behind the incident should be arrested.

“Who is Manju Nishshanka? What is his relationship with Nalaka Godahewa? How Manju’s uncle sends money from the US? They are related to the LTTE diaspora. His uncle ‘Morris’ sends millions of rupees from the diaspora. Once, Manju has offered Mr. Anura Kumara to spend even three billion rupees. We respect his decision not to bow down at that time. The LTTE diaspora and ‘Born Again’ gang are behind this. The CID should conduct a proper investigation and arrest them.”

Natasha’s script by the USA – Wimal Weerawansa

Meanwhile, MP Wimal Weerawansa said that Natasha Edirisooriya has been employed in a project of the US State Department as well as USAID, and that she had been carefully groomed to insult Buddhism.

He expressed this in response to the questions asked by the journalists after attending the party leaders meeting of the Supreme Lanka Coalition at the Communist Party headquarters in Borella.

Question: Who is behind plans to insult Buddhism? the government or international forces?

Answer: Natasha has worked on a project for the US Department of State. In addition, she has worked for USAID. They are the ones who say “Suddhodana’s lad” and insult Buddhism. They are being properly groomed, built and scripted. This is not an innocent operation.”

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CID complaint claims Manju’s funding sources aren’t clear

Lakmal Weerasuriya and Sahan Arosha, the creators of popular YouTube channel ‘Lakai Sikai’, who are currently in Australia had said that they have been receiving death threats through social media platforms.

Weerasuraya’s wife has complained to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in this regard.

They said that some elements are engaged in this campaign against them in an organized manner for attending the concert conducted by Natasha Edirisooriya.