A/HRC/7/56 page 11 Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Despite interventions by the Office with the Ministry of Interior, no progress seems to have been made in finding the culprits of this latest killing. These killings have not only had a chilling effect on the ability of trade unionists to defend labour rights but have further undermined public confidence in the justice system in Cambodia. E. Land and livelihoods 34. The Office continued to monitor the grant of economic land concessions, assessing compliance with the legal framework established by the Land Law and Sub-Decree on Economic Land Concessions, in particular the prerequisites to granting concessions, including registration of land, public consultations and the conduct of environmental and social impact assessments. 35. The Office assisted the Special Representative with the preparation of a report presenting a human rights perspective on economic land concessions, which was released in June 2007. This report found there was poor compliance with the Land Law and Sub-Decree on Economic Land Concessions and that as a result, economic land concessions continue to have a negative impact on human rights in rural communities. The Office has monitored a number of emblematic cases which show that aggrieved individuals or communities have almost no recourse, whether administrative or judicial, to protect their rights against arbitrary practices, and that, in most cases, the relevant authorities and the judicial system have turned against them rather than protecting their rights under the law. 36. The recommendations made by the Special Representative in his report on economic land concessions included the review of existing concessions for compliance with the law, reduction of concessions exceeding the 10,000-hectare size limit, and the publication of information on all concessions granted at national and provincial levels. The Office shared perspectives on the management of economic land concessions and pursued these recommendations in Government-donor coordination mechanisms and meetings. The recommendations are reflected in the joint monitoring indicators agreed by the Government of Cambodia and its development partners in June 2007. 37. The Office has continued to draw attention to the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples to land and natural resources, as recognized by the Land Law and Forestry Law. Indigenous land continues to shrink under illegal land deals, the grant of concessions, and pressure to develop the north-east of Cambodia, yet little action has been taken to protect indigenous rights to land, and the elaboration of the collective titling process is proceeding slowly. At the current pace, unless decisive action is taken by the Government, the Office fears that most local communities will have lost their lands, livelihoods, and cultural heritage by the time the policy is put in place. 38. In February 2007, the Office, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the NGO Forum on Cambodia co-hosted a seminar on indigenous peoples and access to land in Cambodia, bringing together representatives of indigenous communities, Government, civil society, development cooperation and United Nations agencies. Guests included the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people and the Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The Office also participated in a consultation process regarding a draft policy on the registration of indigenous land, and

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