Dili – East Timor's military commander today said he had fired about 500 soldiers, or about a third of the country's regular armed forces, for deserting last month.

"As of March 1, the soldiers have been declared civilians. The door has been closed for them," Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak said.

About 500 East Timorese soldiers deserted last month in protest against alleged discrimination and over-zealous surveillance. The fledgling East Timorese army has about 1500 regular soldiers and 1500 reservists.

"We don't mind being fired as long as our complaints are being addressed. But our dismissal is not the best way to solve the problems," one of the officers, Lieutenant Gastao Salvinha, told reporters.