59 CONTEMPORARY LAND ISSUES AND CONFLICTS Although there are some figures on land dispute cases submitted to the Cadastral Commission or the Courts, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) does not disclose reliable data through website about land disputes. Thus, the research relies primarily on local NGOs and the media to get an idea of ​​the real size of the problem. NGOs working on land issues note that land disputes have continued to increase since the 2000s to the present. Violations and abuses over land rights are among the most prevalent human rights violations in Cambodia today. Despite the legal protections governing land rights provided in Cambodia’s Constitution, national laws and international law, vulnerable communities continue to have their land illegally and unfairly taken away. Land is typically transferred to powerful individuals or companies for business or commercial development, often in clear violation of Cambodia’s legal framework and international human rights obligations. Agribusiness companies are often behind land grabs and forced evictions of rural communities to make way for rubber or sugar plantations. Land has also been appropriated for the construction of​​ hydroelectric dams, which in addition to displacing communities, have devastating long-term environmental and economic impacts on the affected areas. Economic land concessions An economic land concession (ELC) is a legal right established by an official document granted by the RGC to an individual, group of individuals, or legal entity to occupy and develop State or private land.​​ The right to an ELC is subject to a number of restrictions imposed by the Land Law of 2001 (“Land Law”), relevant sub-decrees, and the terms of the specific concession contract. There are 97 economic land concessions that have been granted from 1992 to 31 December 2006 by the RGC. Of this number, nine concessions have been agreed to in principle by the Council of Ministers, covering an area of 64,208 hectares. However, contracts for these have not yet been signed. The Ministry Cambodia Land Conflict Monitoring Report of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC) and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), and other relevant government ministries were also collated and analyzed. Research papers and other reference materials on the land issue were also reviewed. Finally, expert interviews were conducted to provide additional depth. The study focused in the province of Kampong Chhnang, where SK has an existing project.