ADDIS ABABA (Aug. 25) XINHUA - The office of the Ethiopian government spokesman announced Tuesday that 530 more Ethiopians had returned from Eritrea in the past two days.

In a statement issued here, the office said 400 Ethiopians arrived in Ethiopia Monday while 130 arrived Sunday.

"According to the 130 who came Sunday, thousands of Ethiopians have been desperate to leave for some time," said the statement.

"The 130, like many Ethiopians in Eritrea, were being prevented from working, had been thrown out of their homes and were consequently suffering from hunger and from the extreme heat and cold during the days and nights," the statement noted, adding that "in many cases Ethiopians, especially those in Assab (bordering the two countries) are suffering from starvation."

"The Eritrean government is preventing Ethiopians from leaving by deliberately being obstructive," the statement claimed.

In desperation, 1,000 Ethiopians went to demonstrate their plight and seek help from several international bodies including embassies, telling them "they wanted to go home and they were not being allowed to do so."

In an earlier statement issued here Sunday, the office of the Ethiopian government spokesperson urgently appealed to the international community to put pressure on Asmara to allow Ethiopians come home.

"Thousands of them are desperate to leave but Eritrean immigration authorities are refusing to give the International Red Cross a list of those who want to leave," said the statement, adding "2,100 have registered to leave but only a handful has been allowed to do so. A further 2,000 were prevented even from registering."

Over 5,000 Ethiopians have returned home since the outbreak of border conflict between the two countries in May this year.