The failure of land dispute resolution mechanisms

This brief considers the current state and practice of dispute resolution mechanisms in Cambodia, which have been formed to address land disputes and conflicts. The first section introduces land rights abuses in the context of economic land concessions and land grabs, and discusses the relevance for studying land dispute resolution mechanisms in Cambodia. The second section describes the five main dispute resolution mechanisms and the jurisdiction of each mechanism depending on the type of land dispute involved. The third section discusses the gap between the theory and practice of Cambodia’s dispute resolution mechanisms, along with two case studies to illustrate the ineffectiveness of existing mechanisms. The brief concludes with recommendations.