indigenous peoples’ claims of rights to communal land ownership based on historical occupancy and ancestral connections to the land. Ministry of Interior. The Ministry of Interior is tasked with registering the IP community as a legal entity, which is a pre-requisite step before the community can go on to apply for a communal land title with the Ministry of Land. Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction. The Ministry is responsible for issuing land titles to IP communities who wish to preserve and use their ancestral lands. Community representative Horin Ror from Paor villege in Ratanakiri stressed the importance of community education by NGOs. Photo by NGO Forum of Cambodia Lack of means for sustainable growth. The government’s line of argument and policy position is that ELCs are there to bring in needed jobs and lead to income diversification to the rural poor. However, rights groups maintain that the returns from ELCs in terms of jobs for the local population have been questionable at best, and in most cases have contributed to the further eradication of IP customs and culture. Assessment of key actors promoting/ impeding IPs’ land rights Government Ministry of Rural Development. The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) has the mandate to coordinate, evaluate and implement rural development projects and programs. It evaluates 32 Central Cadastral Administration. The CCA “is responsible for the preparation, coordination and supervision of operations concerning cadastral measurements of immovable property within the Kingdom of Cambodia.” Forestry Administration. The Forestry Administration is the government authority under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries managing forests and forest resources. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). The MAFF has the authority and power to grant ELCs to any company interested in development projects, that so often adversely affect IP land rights. Ministry of Environment. The 2008 law requires the Ministry of Environment to develop a National Protected Area Strategic Management Plan (NPASMP). Political parties Cambodia does not have political parties that explicitly support the rights of indigenous peoples. Although there are indigenous representatives Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC)