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While in detention, the participants in the action were divided into two groups. The first group was interrogated by officers from the detective branch, while the second group was interrogated by officers from the intelligence unit. While in detention, both groups were generally not mistreated. However, one East Timorese youth was highly stressed when he was interrogated and pressured by a police officer. The name, rank and position of the responsible police officer is not known.
On the morning of December 9, it was still impossible to meet with the detainees. H.J.C. Princen, the Director of the League for the Defence of Human Rights (LPHAM) was refused permission to meet them. A number of journalists who were waiting at the Police Headquarters were also not able to provide information concerning the fate and condition of the detainees.
At around 6pm they were released from detention, accompanied by police officers. The PRD activists went directly to the office of the Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), which they viewed as a neutral and safe place. They did this as a safeguard against a repeat of the brutal actions of the "pro-integration" group at both embassies over the previous two days. The East Timorese youths were forced to leave Jakarta by police officers. They were "accompanied" to the Pulogadung Bus Terminal in East Jakarta and put on buses to the cities where they reside. At the present time, it is difficult to seek information concerning their fate and condition.
The PRD activists and East Timorese youth resisted the pressure, stayed in place and began a hunger strike, insisting that their demands be met. The East Timorese youths also made clear their desire to request political asylum from the Dutch and Australian governments.The group could leave the embassy voluntarily. If not, Indonesian troops would be permitted to enter the territory of the embassy and remove the PRD and East Timorese activists.
Embassy staff then contacted a number of parties, including the LBH and requested them to become mediators. Two representatives of LBH came to a building located next to the embassy where they held meetings with embassy staff. A representative of the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Department was also present, although this person did not participate in the negotiations, stating that the Indonesian government considered the incident an "internal problem".
At 6pm embassy staff again urged the activists and youths to leave the embassy, assuring them that their safety would be guaranteed. Since then, the Dutch ambassador, Paul Brouwer has stated to a PRD representative during a telephone conversation that this guarantee was given him by Foreign Minister Ali Alatas.
Before the conclusion of the negotiations between the embassy staff and LBH officials, witnessed by Department of Foreign Affairs staff, Indonesian troops entered the embassy grounds to remove the activists and youths, who did not offer resistance. At 6.30 pm Netherlands Radio broadcast a statement from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Dutch government had not given permission for Indonesian troops to enter the embassy building.
Two of the participants in the hunger strike were seriously ill, and appeared very weak when they were removed from the embassy. PRD has repeatedly attempted to contact the International Red Cross but has failed. Embassy staff have not attempted to assist in contacting international health services to ensure the safety of these two activists.
The request for political asylum which was made by the East Timorese youth to the Netherlands and Australia has also not been acted upon. There was no official rejection of it, but embassy staff clearly ended discussions concerning this request by allowing Indonesian soldiers into the embassy to remove all of the demonstrators, including those who had sought asylum.
At 7pm it was believed that the group had arrived at the Jakarta Police Headquarters. At the present time, they are still in detention, and it is not possible to ascertain their fate and condition.