Dili – About 2,000 demonstrators, backing hundreds of soldiers dismissed from the East Timorese army, marched through Dili Monday, launching five-days of announced protests against alleged regional discrimination in the military.

The demonstrators, including many soldiers, some in uniform, stopped at four official buildings, including the presidential and government headquarters, where they delivered written ultimatums giving authorities until Friday to resolve their grievances or face an unspecified "strike".

There were no reports of violence or other incidents on the first of five days of planned protests that took place under the gaze of a re-enforced police presence in the capital's streets.

The Portuguese and Australian diplomatic missions issued warnings to their nationals at the weekend to take precautions and avoid public gatherings.

There were reports that some Dili residents, fearing violence, had left the city ahead of the protests.

The demonstrators condemned the sacking two months ago of 591 soldiers, about 40% of the fledgling army, who held protests and went AWOL in February to demand action against alleged discrimination of "loromonu" troops from the country's western districts.

They also denounced an inquiry commission set up by the army as biased, with some saying they were ready to "die for justice and transparency" if their demands were not met.

The army crisis has divided the Timorese leadership, with President Xanana Gusmco, who was praised by the demonstrators Monday, having strongly criticized the decision by the government and military brass to sack the disgruntled soldiers as of last March 1.

At the weekend, Interior Minister Rogirio Lobato accused unnamed "political parties, embassies and priests" in the predominantly Roman Catholic country of helping fuel unrest among troops.

Vigilance would be tightened along borders, Lobato said, to preempt the exit of anyone who attempted to use the demonstrations to "create problems and then try to flee the country".

Rumors of similar demonstrations last month provoked the flight of many people from Dili and vandalism of some properties belonging to "lorosae" easterners.