X. Conclusions and recommendations

80. The current legal and administrative regulations governing land use, occupation and ownership do not offer certain minority and indigenous communities adequate protection of their land rights, and should be reviewed and amended to provide stronger legal protection against land grabbing, illegal eviction, forced displacement and ongoing land disputes. Specific legal and policy measures are required to protect the land rights of those who practice nomadic, transhumance and hunter-gatherer lifestyles, including their right to have access to traditional forest habitats and to use land seasonally for grazing.

81. The Government is urged to ratify ILO Convention No. 169. Importantly, the Convention requires that indigenous and tribal peoples be consulted on issues that affect them and be able to engage in policy and development processes that affect them. It also requires their free, prior and informed consent for projects implemented on their lands and territories. A specific national law on the rights of minority and indigenous peoples should be drafted in consultation with the communities concerned