After months of cozying up to Prime Minster Hun Sen, opposition leader Sam Rainsy yesterday took a shot at the government’s land concession policy, saying it had left many families destitute.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party president has in recent months toned down his attacks on government shortcomings, preferring to highlight his current détente with Hun Sen, dubbed the “culture of dialogue”.

However, Rainsy, who is currently in the United States, resumed his criticism yesterday, taking to Facebook to highlight the plight of farmers made landless and “destitute” by the government’s economic land concession policy.

The CNRP leader gave the example of a group he met in Kratie province’s Chhlong district on May 3, who he said were forced to leave their native Tbong Khmum province by expanding rubber plantations.

He said they now farmed cassava on a rented field and faced an uncertain future.

“Because of the land concessions that the government has offered to big private companies, it is producing more and more landless farmers like them,” Rainsy said.

Responding, Cambodian People’s Party spokesman Sok Eysan called on Rainsy to identify specific cases of ELCs making people landless, which the government “would be happy to resolve”.

Meanwhile, CNRP deputy president Kem Sokha this week issued a seven-point plan to guide the party towards elections in 2017 and 2018.

Among other pledges, Sokha told hundreds of supports in Takeo province on Sunday the party would remain united and not waiver in its political stance.

The CNRP’s political message would be tailored to the needs of every commune, he added.