While the Ethiopian government continues to deport ethnic Eritreans, deportees interviewed by ERINA tell of the agony and predicaments they went through. A diabetic woman, Mrs. Abrehet, had to abandon her home and leave her only daughter (15 years old) behind, allegedly because she is of "military age." Two Eritreans, Mr. Habteab Zeweldi and Mr. Hailemichael Ghebrehiwet, had their trucks confiscated before being deported. Mrs. Desta, whose husband was deported earlier, was not allowed to sell her car, house or any property, thus arriving in Eritrea empty handed. ERINA also interviewed Dr. Solomon Desaleand Dr. Yosief Fessehaye, both physicians at Tukur Anbesa Hospital in Addis Abeba. They were held in custody for five months prior to their deportation. Among the recent deportees are four Ethiopian youth from the same family who were thrown out of the country because they stood as witnesses in a court case against some kebele (local administration) officials accused of taking part in the Red Terror campaign of the former regime. Another deportee, Mr. Tesfalidet Weldeab, who was living in the residence of the Eritrean Embassy in Addis Abeba, was in detention for six months and was severely tortured.

Sources from Ethiopia indicate that the Ethiopian government is not deporting the 15,000 who were already registered by the International Red Cross but people who are being randomly picked up from their homes and work places. According to these sources, the Ethiopian security forces are primarily targeting the breadwinners of families.