2009. The main goal of the NPDIP is to improve the livelihoods and accordingly the quality of life of indigenous communities. Economic Land Concessions Sub-Decree on Economic Land Concessions (ELCs). The Sub-Decree was adapted by the RGC in December 2005, to establish the legal and regulatory framework for the granting and management of concessions. The following conditions need to be met for an ELC to be granted: • The land must be classified and registered as State Private land; • A land use plan must have been adopted by the Provincial-Municipal State Land Management Committee and the proposed use of the land should be consistent with this plan; • An Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) must have been completed in relation to the land use and development plan for an ELCs projects; • The proposed land concession must present solutions for resettlement issues and the government shall ensure that there will be no involuntary resettlement of lawful land holders and that access to private land is respected; • Public consultations with territorial authorities and residents of the locality on the concession projects have been held (Note that there are no guidelines on how such consultations should be conducted). ELCs ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 hectares (ha) can be granted to companies. According to article 5 of the Sub-decree, ELC applications should be evaluated in light of the “promotion of living standards of the people, perpetual environmental protection and natural resources management and avoidance or minimizing of adverse social impacts“. Under Sub-decree No. 72 on the A community representative of Prap Tuch in Busra Commune sharing his sentiments about their lands being acquired by another party. Photo by NGO Forum of Cambodia Environment Impact Assessment Process, all ELCs have to submit an ESIA study to the Ministry of Environment to receive approval from the RGC. ELCs and indigenous peoples’ rights Land Law 2001. The law has specific provisions, under articles 23 through 28, referring to land rights of indigenous peoples. Article 23 defines an indigenous community as made up of “members who manifest ethnic, social, cultural and economic unity and who practice a traditional lifestyle, and who cultivate the lands in their possession according to customary rules of collective use.” Article 25 defines the land of indigenous communities as those “where the said communities have established their residences and where they carry out traditional agriculture’. Article 26 confirms that the property right given to the community is a collective one. Article 27 provides for a situation whereby a member of the indigenous community would like to exit that community and claim his part of the property. Lok Niti 27