From Reuters 23 March

According to the Indonesian version, 48 people have been arrested after taking part in a violent (sic) anti integrasi demonstration outside Mahkota Hotel. Shots were fired during the incident but these were 'warning shots' into the air according to procedure law down by law,' said Dili police chief, Colonel Atok Rismanto.

East Timor police chief later said that eleven people required hospital treatment for light injuries. Staff on duty at Dili's general hospital and the military hospital said no one had been admitted after the incident.

According to Reuters, Jamsheed Marker said later: 'I was in my room. They came at about 6am (local time) and I heard some slogans being shouted. The demonstration was then dispersed and at least some of them got into the (hotel) lobby. I didn't actually see the demonstration.'

Rismanto said those detained were being questioned and police were looking for others involved in the incident.

From Agence France Presse 23 March

This agency quotes Marker as saying: 'There was a demonstration this morning but the authorities seem to have cleared it up.'

According to a member of the hotel staff, fifty youths came into the hotel, yelling and waving banners. Security officers quickly came in and the two parties clashed.'

Marker told AFP that his visit so far had been 'very interesting. I have just been trying to ascertain the facts here and I have been given all the facilities to meet people I wanted to meet so far.'

He said after a meeting with President Suharto that he was on a 'fact-finding mission' and that the information he gathered would be reported to UN Sec.Gen Kofi Annan to help 'reconcile the points of view of all the parties concerned with East Timor'.

Marker is to stay in Indonesia until 30 March but it is unclear what his schedule will be after leaving East Timor

Reuters 24 March

E Timorese youths held a fresh 30-minute protest in Dili after the previous day's clash. Police chief Muharam confirmed that 45 of thr 48 people arrested were still being held. Ten of the eleven people injured were still in hospital but he denied there were any deaths or serious injuries.

About today's events, he said: 'There was a small demonstration but it was not violent like yesterday's. No one has yet been detained as it was a usual demonstration. If they dont break anything, we do not arrest them,' he said.

Muharam claimed the police seized twelve machettes and knives and 19 banners in Sunday's demonstration.

'Those who were injured broke the glass as they were leaving (the hotel) or were trampled on by others,' Muharam said. 'There was only one warning shot amd pme tear gas canister fired. The warning shot was a rubber bullet to calm the crowd and stop them becoming violent.'

Agence France Presse 24 March

Sources in Dili had spoken of two deaths including a student but none could confirm the deaths nor say they had seen the shooting or bodies.