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About 70 representatives from five communities involved in land disputes in Koh Kong province yesterday submitted their petitions to Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Ministry of Land Management after being blocked in their attempt by police the day before.

The communities are asking that Hun Sen send youth volunteers to measure their land and grant them land titles to protect them against two companies, Union Development and Heng Huy, which they say are threatening them and encroaching on their land.

“Only Samdech [Hun Sen] can help us, because these youths are Samdech’s and Samdech is the person who decides to give the disputed land to the people,” said Bun Nim, 40, a local official and representative for 44 families from Koh Kong’s Botom Sakor.

Lim Leangse, deputy chief of the prime minister’s cabinet, said he had sent the petition to court for review, adding that if the court deemed it appropriate, authorities would go settle the dispute.