Democratic Republic of Congo: 100 Rwandan rebels lay down their arms.

4 June 2014 In the Democratic Republic of Congo, about 100 Rwandan rebels have laid down their arms to signify their readiness to adopt a new way of life. The rebels are members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a group linked to Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and now based in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The United Nations mission in DRC (MONUSCO) welcomed the move, but General Abdallah Wafi, spokesperson for the Mission, has encouraged cautious optimism, and is quoted as saying “We are encouraging the process and have mobilised all our military and logistic resources but only coming days will tell us if the process is credible and serious”.

The 105 men surrendered with their weapons on Friday in a town called Kateku, north of Goma, capital of North Kivu province. Julien Paluku Governor of Nord-Kivu has said the surrender is the first step in a process which should be wound up “within 22 days”, with the ex-rebels given a choice to return to Rwanda or ask for political asylum.