REPRESENTATIVES of 43 families from Koh Kong province’s Sre Ambel district travelled Wednesday to Phnom Penh to petition the Ministry of Justice to intervene in their land dispute with two local tycoons.

Tep Hai, one of the representatives, said a letter delivered to the ministry also raised objections to the actions of provincial court Judge Meas Vatanea, who ruled Tuesday that some of the land thought to be in Chi Khor Krom commune was actually in Chi Khor Leu commune.

Ministry officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Am Sam Ath, technical superviser for the rights group Licadho, said Wednesday that the chief of Chi Khor Leu commune was “very sympathetic” to Heng Huy, the businessman who was awarded the bulk of the disputed land in a June ruling by the Supreme Court.

“We come here today because we are worried about losing our land,” Tep Hai said. “The Supreme Court is just taking it over.”

In a letter dated Saturday, King Norodom Sihamoni also asked the ministry to intervene.