In defense of land rights: A monitoring report on land conflicts in six Asian countries 98 some legal basis and social recognition but it has no formal registration therefore the tenure is not fully recognized. This lack of clarity is another source of conflict. Customary tenure in Nepal is dying. In this form of tenure, customary social institutions regulate the land use practices and decisions. Most of the shifting cultivators acquired their land rights through customary tenure. To some extent, this practice still endures among different ethnic groups, particularly in hilly regions. One example of customary tenure is Kipat, where a major criteria of land allocation is lineage or clan. Recent developments/Emerging issues The new Nepalese Constitution of 2015 and the Local Government Operation Act of 2017 have recognized the rights of agricultural workers and also granted autonomy to local governments, including authority to manage the land, water and forest resources under their jurisdiction. However, since Nepal is still in the process of State restructuring, most local government units are still unaware of the vast natural resources under their control, as well as the revenue that these can generate. Local governments also have the power to resolve land disputes, but do not have the trained personnel for this. At the national level, a major source of conflict is the displacement of communities due to mega-development projects and the expansion of army camps. Another concern is the ongoing debate between the State and ethnic communities, who are demanding their right to continue customary land practices like Kipat, which have now been abolished. Mapping conflicts During the period 2012-2016, over twenty-thousand land-related cases were filed in various courts in the country. Around 70 percent of these cases have been decided. Compared to the years 2012 and 2013, the number of cases filed has been decreasing, as a result of increased land literacy among the people, as well as the expanded reach of mediation programs. ANGOC At the same period from 2012-2016, approximately one-fourth of all cases filed in Nepalese courts were land-related. The courts are frequently criticized by the wider public for failing to deliver efficient and timely justice to ordinary citizens at reasonable cost. Hundreds of land-related cases languish in the courts for many years. Limited human resources, lack of a land tribunal, and the slow-paced hearing and decision-