Losing Ground - Human Rights Party.

Losing Ground
Land sales
Provided there is legal ownership or possession, sale of land
must also follow the conditions set out in both the 2001
Land Law and the 1988 Decree 38 Referring to Contract and
Other Liabilities (an old decree from the State of Cambodia
period, this will eventually be replaced by the new Civil
Code when enabling legislation is passed).
The Land Law states that all contracts for land sale must
be in writing, 19 and once land is registered, this must be
done through the Cadastral Commission and registered.
For unregistered land, it is necessary that local officials are
notified and witness the sale. Only the true owner of the
land may sell it, 20 and if there are joint owners there must be
agreement between all owners to sell.
All contracts, including land sale contracts, must follow
Decree 38 (hereafter the “Contract Law”). This includes
the requirements that there be “real and free agreement,” 21
created in “an atmosphere of trust and honesty,” and made by
those with “capacity” 22 to do so, for example, those of legal
age. All contracts lacking free agreement or made by a party
lacking capacity are void, 23 as are all contracts made as a
result of mistake, fraud or duress. 24 Sale of another person’s
property is also void. 25 If ownership or possession is not yet
clear, or is contested, sale of land is also not legal.
Land concessions
Land concessions are State Private land leased or allocated
by the government to companies or people. The Land
Law discusses two types of land concession: Social (SLCs)
and Economic (ELCs). It sets out the main principles for
granting these concessions, and the finer details are provided
by sub-decrees.
Economic Land Concessions: Over the previous five
years there has been a boom in the granting of ELCs. ELCs
are long term leases granted over land for agro-industrial
exploitation. 26 They may only be granted on State Private
land, 27 cannot exceed 10,000 hectares, 28 and can only
be granted up to 99 years. 29 Concessionaires must begin
operations within one year of the concession being granted.
Any concession that does not follow the Land Law is null
and void. 30 Sub-decree No. 146 on ELCs adds to these
conditions specific requirements for applications and the
granting of concessions. The requirements for an ELC to be
legally granted are: 31
• The land is already classified and registered as State Private
land, 32
• A land use plan is adopted for the area,
• An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment has been
conducted,
• There are assurances that lawful landholders are not going
to be displaced, and
• Public consultations regarding the proposed project must
have been held.
Until 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries had authority to grant concessions of up to 10,000
hectares, and provincial/municipal governors had the
authority to grant concessions of up to 1,000 hectares. 33
However, as of September 2008, only the ministry may
legally grant ELCs, no matter what the size. 34
Social Land Concessions: The Land Law also states
that concessions can be granted for a social purpose. 35 These
concessions are called Social Land Concessions. They were
created with the aim of redistributing State Private land to
land poor and landless households. 36 This type of concession,
unlike any other, can be converted into ownership 37 (provided
certain conditions are met). Indeed, the acquisition of full
ownership is the very aim of an SLC.
As with ELCs, the procedure for granting SLCs is provided
for by sub-decree. This sub-decree sets out requirements for
the planning stages.
This includes: land use plans; identification of current land
location, use and availability; detailed information on target
recipients; assessment of available local infrastructure; and,
social and environmental impact assessments. 38 SLCs may be
granted for residential or agricultural purposes, or both. 39
According to the sub-decree, if a concession is granted for
residential purposes, if there is not already a structure on
the land, the recipient must build within three months, and
19
Land Law 2001, Article 65.
20
Land Law 2001, Article 66.
21
Contract Law 1988, Article 3.
22
Contract Law 1988, Article 2.
23
Contract Law 1988, Article 6.
24
Contract Law 1988, Articles 7-11.
25
Contract Law 1988, Article 35.
26
Land Law 2001, Article 49.
27
Land Law 2001, Articles 17 & 58.
28
Land Law 2001, Article 59.
29
Land Law 2001, Article 61.
30
Land Law 2001, Article 18.
31
Sub-decree No 146 on Economic
Land Concessions 2005, Article 4.
32
Many concessions are being granted in areas that fall
under the definition of State Public property. Granting
authorities get around this by stating the area has lost its
public interest, and reclassifying it as State Private property.
33
Sub-decree No146 on Economic Land Concessions 2005,
Article 29.
34
Sub-decree No131 on Modification of the Sub-decree on
Economic Land Concessions 2008, Article 1.
35
Land Law 2001, Article 49.
36
Sub-decree No19 on Social Land Concessions 2003, Article 2.
37
Land Law 2001, Articles 18 & 52.
38
Sub-decree No19 on Social Land Concessions 2003, Article 9.
39
Sub-decree No19 on Social Land Concessions 2003, Article 15.
68
Forced Evictions and Intimidation in Cambodia