A/HRC/21/35 welcome sign of the Government’s willingness to take into account the concerns of civil society. IV. Land and housing rights 29. The Land and Housing Rights Programme works with all stakeholders to monitor, promote and implement the right to adequate housing and an adequate standard of living, prevent forced eviction and realize security of tenure. The Programme intervenes in the event of threats to or harassment or criminalization of communities and individuals claiming their rights to land and housing, and of human rights defenders in the land sector. OHCHR works with the Government, civil society organizations, communities, business enterprises, professional associations and multilateral and bilateral development actors to strengthen the legal framework protecting land use, ownership and housing rights, and improve its implementation. 30. OHCHR conducts its activities in a context of widespread land disputes, persistent land grabbing by powerful individuals or groups (often with the collusion of the State and complicity of both domestic and foreign business enterprises), economic land concessions for agro-industrial purposes (such as rubber, sugar and cassava plantations), land concessions for the exploitation of natural resources (including in protected areas), such as for mining and oil extraction and to attract tourism, infrastructure upgrades and industrial power generation (such as hydropower dams), urban development and renewal characterized by forced evictions and unplanned resettlement. 31. During the reporting period, OHCHR was called upon to assist in 63 land disputes between affected communities, authorities and businesses, 37 of which related to economic and other types of land concessions, including 11 on indigenous land. 2 A total of 26 were related to other land transactions (one on indigenous land). 3 OHCHR interventions involved facilitation of dialogue and legal and procedural advice. 2 3 The cases include, but were not limited to, the following: in Mondulkiri province, Pichreada district, Bousra commune, a dispute between 800 families of the Phnong indigenous community and the company Socfin-KCD and partners; in Kratie province, Snoul district, Sre Char commune, a dispute between 224 families and the CIV Development Company; in Ratanakiri province, Lumphat district, Seda commune, a dispute between approximately 500 families of the Tumpoun indigenous community and the Jing Zhong Ri company; in Kratie province, Snoul district, Pi Thnu commune, a dispute between approximately 600 families and the company TTY; in Koh Kong province, Kiri Sakor and Botum Sakor districts, a dispute between approximately 1,000 families and the Union Development Group; in Kampong Speu province, Tpong district, Amleang commune, a dispute between 1,000 families and the Phnom Penh Sugar Company and the Kampong Speu Sugar Company; in Pursat province, Kravahn and Krakor districts, two disputes between 5,000 families and the Pheapimex company, and in Veal Veng district, Thmar Da commune, a dispute between 57 families and the MDS company; in the city of Phnom Penh, Boeung Kak Lake community, a dispute between 3,000-4,000 families and Shukaku Inc.; and in Battambang province, Phnom Prek district, Sampov Loun commune, a dispute between 1,203 families and the Soun Mean Sambath company. The cases include, but were not limited to, the following: in Ratanakiri province, Oyada district, Pate commune, Kong Yuk village, a dispute between 46 families of the Charay indigenous community and the wife of a Government official; in Kandal province, Kean Svay district, Samrong commune, a dispute between 149 families and the deputy governor of Kratie province; in Kampong Chhnang province, Kampong Tralach district, Taches commune, Lorpeang village, a dispute between 64 families and the KDC International Company; in Kampong Speu province, Oudong district, Damnang Raing and Phnom Touch villages (border of Kandal), a dispute between 88 families and the Meng Keth Company; in Battambang province, Battambang town, a dispute between 55 families and the Asian Development Bank Railway Rehabilitation Project, in Prek Preah Sdach village, a dispute 9

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