A/HRC/43/19 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 26 February 2020 Original: English Human Rights Council Forty-third session 24 February–20 March 2020 Agenda item 2 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights* Summary Pursuant to resolution 40/1 of the Human Rights Council, in the present update, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) assesses the progress made by Sri Lanka in the implementation of Council resolution 30/1 on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, particularly during the period from January 2019 to January 2020. While some progress has been made since 2015 in promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in line with resolution 30/1, the inability of the Government to comprehensively address impunity and to reform institutions may cause the recurrence of human rights violations. The High Commissioner is concerned by various signs indicating a possible reversal of past commitments by the Government, which would set back the promotion of reconciliation, accountability and human rights, reduce civic space and erode important institutional safeguards. The overall goals of resolution 30/1 must be protected and built upon to provide justice and redress to victims, guarantee the non-recurrence of past patterns of human rights violations and promote peaceful, inclusive and sustainable development. The High Commissioner encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to fully implement resolution 30/1 and continue to engage positively with OHCHR and the United Nations human rights mechanisms to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights as critical elements for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. She urges the Human Rights Council to maintain its close monitoring of and engagement on developments in Sri Lanka. * The present report was submitted after the deadline so as to include the most recent information. GE.20-02964(E) 