A/HRC/34/20 Reconciliation,5 and several technical working groups tasked with drafting blueprints for the accountability and reconciliation mechanisms to be established. These bodies, however, are yet to present a sufficiently convincing or comprehensive transitional justice strategy to overcome the legacy of mistrust and scepticism left by a number of inconclusive ad hoc commissions and procedures. Such a strategy is of critical importance to maximize the synergies between the various reform processes. 13. One positive development has been the completion of national consultations on reconciliation mechanisms conducted by the Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms, a group of prominent civil society members appointed by the Government and supported by the Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms. Starting in February 2016, the task force received written submissions from stakeholders; from June to September, it conducted focus group discussions and direct consultations at the provincial and district levels with various stakeholders, including victims and civil society. On 3 January 2017, the task force presented its final report6 to former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Chairperson of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation. 14. Overall, the national consultation process was broad, independent and inclusive. Based on submissions and views received from 7,306 individuals and organizations, the final report of the Consultation Task Force focuses on the four crucial mechanisms that the Government had committed to establishing before the adoption of Human Rights Council resolution 30/1: a commission on truth, justice, reconciliation and non-recurrence; an office on missing persons; an office on reparations; and a judicial mechanism with a special counsel. In addition, it identifies elements for alternative or additional mechanisms and measures for transitional justice in the specific context of Sri Lanka. The main recommendations contained in the report include the establishment of a hybrid court with a majority of national judges and at least one international judge per bench, and with no temporal jurisdictional limitation; and the prohibition of amnesties for war crimes and crimes against humanity, or for gross human rights violations and abuses, such as torture, enforced disappearance and rape. Lastly, the task force calls for the restitution of land held by the military, the publication of the list of all detainees and detention centres, the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the immediate release of persons held under the Act without charge. 15. The High Commissioner appreciates the major efforts made in the consultation process and the engagement of those who provided submissions and shared their views. Consulting with victims and members of civil society throughout Sri Lanka before the establishment of transitional justice measures is critical not only to elicit the views of those most affected, but also as a form of recognition and respect. Several stakeholders pointed out that this was the first time that they had engaged in a formal dialogue with the State, during which they felt they were heeded with respect. 16. The High Commissioner also welcomes the adoption by Parliament, on 11 August 2016, of legislation to establish the Office of Missing Persons. This is the first element of the transitional justice response to acquire the form of a legal bill. As at January 2017, however, the law still had not been gazetted and the commissioners had yet to be appointed. 17. Addressing disappearances in a comprehensive manner would contribute to advancing truth and reconciliation efforts by generating trust in victims and official institutions. The Office of Missing Persons should therefore be sufficiently resourced, 5 6 www.onur.gov.lk. Final Report of the Consultations Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms, November 2016. 5