Mar 18, 2008 (DVB), About 1600 signatures have been collected from the people of Arakan state for a complaint letter to the International Labour Organization about the government's increased harassment of labour right activists.

The letter, addressed to the ILO headquarters in Geneva, details the rising number of labour right activists who have been arrested and imprisoned by the military junta, one of the campaign leaders said.

The letter also calls for ILO action against the military government for breaching the agreement recently signed between the regime and the ILO to extend its cooperation on tackling forced labour.

In January this year, residents of Taunggok township in Arakan state collected signatures for a petition to be sent to the ILO to draw attention to forced guard duties imposed on them by local authorities.

Reporting by Maung Too