Election monitors in Sri Lanka say that incidents of violence following the end of the provincial council elections have risen.

The Campaign for a Free and Fair Election (CaFFE) outlined in their statement that the “ frequency and gravity” of post-election violence had increased in the last few days.

“Again today, I spoke out loudly and clearly on the issue of human rights in Sri Lanka, including on our concerns on the lack of accountability for the serious allegations of war crimes, the lack of reconciliation with the Tamil community and with the events that have taken place since the end of the civil war.

“As the Prime Minister has stated very clearly, we expect our concerns to be addressed seriously by the Government of Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, given the current circumstances in Sri Lanka and the lack of substantial progress to date, it would be difficult for the Government of Canada to fully participate.

After an intense battle with the High Court, a last minute injunction was placed on the deportation of a Tamil family to Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan Supreme Court, announced in a ruling today, that land powers in Sri Lanka were vested with the Central Government and not with the Provincial Councils.

Sri Lanka’ s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ravintha Aryasinaha, rejected the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay’s March 2014 deadline for Sri Lanka to address concerns regarding the investigation of rights violations.

Speaking at the United Nations Human Rights council, Arayasinha said,

“The UN rights chief decried a worsening situation in Sri Lanka and listed past and present problems that contradict official ‘Commonwealth values,’”

“The Commonwealth should not bury its head in the sand and ignore Sri Lanka’s serious human rights problems.”