A/HRC/RES/46/1
governance, including through the holding of elections for provincial councils, and to ensure
that all provincial councils, including the northern and eastern provincial councils, are able
to operate effectively, in accordance with the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution of Sri
Lanka,
Reaffirming that all individuals in Sri Lanka are entitled to the full enjoyment of their
human rights without distinction of any kind such as religion, belief or ethnic origin, and the
importance of a peaceful and unified land to the enjoyment of human rights,
Acknowledging the progress made by the Government of Sri Lanka in rebuilding
infrastructure, demining, land return, resettling internally displaced persons and improving
livelihoods, and encouraging further efforts in these areas,
Welcoming the continued commitment of the Government of Sri Lanka to remain
engaged with and to seek the assistance of the United Nations and its agencies, including
human rights mandates and mechanisms, in capacity-building and technical assistance, and
to achieve sustainable peace,
Reaffirming its unequivocal condemnation of all acts, methods and practices of
terrorism, including those committed in Sri Lanka in April 2019 that led to a large number
of injuries and deaths, and reaffirming also that all measures taken to combat terrorism must
comply fully with States’ obligations under international law, in particular international
human rights law, and, as applicable, international refugee law and international
humanitarian law,
Emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive approach to dealing with the past,
incorporating judicial and non-judicial measures, to ensure accountability, to serve justice, to
provide remedies to victims, to avoid the recurrence of violations of human rights and to
promote healing and reconciliation,
Recognizing that mechanisms to redress past abuses and violations work best when
they are independent, impartial and transparent, and use consultative and participatory
methods that include the views of all relevant stakeholders, including, but not limited to,
victims, women, youth, representatives of various religions, ethnicities and geographic
locations, as well as people from marginalized groups,
Recalling the responsibility of States to comply with their relevant obligations under
human rights law and international humanitarian law, including, where applicable, to
prosecute those responsible for gross violations of human rights law or serious violations of
international humanitarian law,
Noting with appreciation the work of the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights towards the promotion and protection of human rights and
truth, justice, reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka,
1.
Welcomes the oral update presented by the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights to the Human Rights Council at its forty-third session and the report of
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights presented to the Council
at its forty-sixth session;1
2.
Also welcomes the engagement of the Government of Sri Lanka with the Office
of the High Commissioner and the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, urges
the continuation of such engagement and dialogue, and calls upon Sri Lanka to implement
the recommendations made by the Office and to give due consideration to the
recommendations made by the special procedures;
3.
Acknowledges the progress made by the Office on Missing Persons and the
Office for Reparations, and stresses the importance of maintaining support for these
institutions, safeguarding their independent and effective functioning, providing both offices
with sufficient resources and technical means to effectively fulfil their mandates, allowing
them to proceed with interim relief measures for affected vulnerable families, with a gender
1
2
A/HRC/46/20.