Dhaka: Anti-election posters were distributed widely in some townships in Arakan State during International Peace Day, to oppose the polls scheduled for 7 November, 2010.

A woman from Maungdaw who saw the posters said, "Many posters along with the symbol of a dove were pasted on trees, wells, and electric poles around town. I saw many posters along the road from my house to the market on the morning of International Peace Day on 21 September."

The unknown campaigners pasted posters in four townships - Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathidaung, and Sittwe.

The poster contained two sentences, which read, "To struggle getting genuine peace in Burma" and "To oppose the forthcoming election by unity."

"We have never before seen such posters opposing the election in Maungdaw. Many people in our town read the posters. The authorities did not take any action until about 8 am that day," the source said.

However, police and Nasaka eventually came downtown Maungdaw and pulled down the posters.

A trader from Maungdaw market said that local police came to some teashops and asked some people about the posters, but no one has yet been arrested.

According to the source, local authorities are stepping up security with the deployment of police forces in places that draw crowds, and some policemen are patrolling the streets around town on motorcycles since the anti-election campaign began.