A/HRC/45/45/Add.1 especially in State institutions, and could contribute to strengthening the rule of law, social cohesion and reconciliation.3 14. Given the conflict-inducing nature of unaddressed massive violations, 4 the cycles of violence and recent events in Sri Lanka, such a comprehensive redress and prevention policy is particularly important. 15. The January 2015 presidential elections offered a chance for lasting peace, justice and reconciliation. The President, a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, formed a coalition with the United National Party, bringing the two largest Sinhala parties together for the first time since independence. As part of its 100-day programme, the Government committed itself to undergoing constitutional reform, strengthening oversight bodies, recognizing the right to information as a fundamental right, addressing pervasive corruption and engaging with the international community to address the past and provide accountability. 16. Also in 2015, the temporary lapse in cooperation with the international human rights architecture also came to an end. Sri Lanka supported the adoption of Human Rights Council resolution 30/1, voluntarily committing itself to providing redress for past massive violations and abuses that occurred during and after the armed conflict. These commitments included the establishment of a truth commission, an office on missing persons, a reparations programme and an independent judicial mechanism, with international participation, to investigate allegations of violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law. The resolution’s adoption was seen as a major achievement for the country’s journey towards peace, reconciliation and accountability. The Government committed itself to establishing transitional justice measures over a two-year period (which elapsed in 2017) and reaffirmed its commitments twice, in Council resolutions 34/1 of 2017 and 40/1 of 2019. 17. Since 2015, the country has continued to engage actively with various United Nations entities and a broad range of international actors and international civil society organizations. 18. Moreover, Sri Lanka ratified the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2016 and acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 2017. 19. The Special Rapporteur highlights the Government’s open engagement with his mandate and with other special procedures, having extended a standing invitation in 2015 and having received 10 visits since then (all of which have made recommendations with which the Special Rapporteur concurs). 5 It also engages with the treaty bodies and has actively participated in the universal periodic review process. This willingness has resulted in unprecedented levels of international support. 20. At one point, the hope was that Sri Lanka could provide lessons to the world about how sustainable peace ought to be achieved, underscoring the view that a military victory does not – not by a wide margin – settle all questions about how people can best live together. III. General considerations 21. Both civil society and parts of the Government have been on a very steep learning curve regarding transitional justice. Sri Lankan civil society, with its characteristic courage, persistence and very high capacity, continues to be present – albeit as an insufficiently tapped resource, making crucial contributions to transitional justice debates. The Government has also built its capacity on the topic, especially through the Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms and its technical working groups. All are crucial 3 4 5 4 A/HRC/21/46. See Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict (Washington, D.C., United Nations and World Bank, 2017), chap. 4 especially. A/HRC/34/54/Add.2, A/HRC/35/31/Add.1, A/HRC/39/45/Add.2 and A/HRC/40/52/Add.3.