The number of Rwandans laying down their arms and leaving militias that terrorize civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has multiplied four-fold on a monthly basis compared to last year, the United Nations reported today.

Rwandan rebels are now surrendering at a rate of 146 fighters a month, according to the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC), with more than 660 heeding the mission's call to return to civilian life since the start of this year, along with 1000 of their dependents.

This past weekend, another 10 members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) surrendered to a joint UN-Congolese army patrol near Goma. The rebels brought with them 31 of their dependents along with a sizable arsenal of weapons, MONUC said.

The mission said the new additions to its disarmament program are now being processed for repatriation to Rwanda.

It called on remaining FDLR fighters to follow suit, offering them and their families a chance for a decent future and stressing that life in the bush will only become more and more difficult from now on.

The voluntary disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, reintegration and rehabilitation (DDRRR) programme for the ex-militia is managed by MONUC, while civilians are repatriated by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

The FDLR and other Rwandan militias have been a key factor in the resurgence of violence in North Kivu province, where over 100,000 civilians have been uprooted by fighting in the past two months, in addition to the many hundreds of thousands previously displaced.

The ethnic Hutu rebels, who recently carried out a wave of retaliatory attacks against civilians after being targeted by a joint Congolese and Rwandan military offensive, have been operating in eastern DRC since the 1994 genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda.

1. • Key excerpts from UN report on Rwandan army genocide in DR Congo (August 27, 2010)
2. • UN report says Rwandan army committed genocide in DR Congo (August 26, 2010)
3. • UN Security Council calls for urgent action over mass DR Congo rape (August 26, 2010)
4. • UN Defends Inaction on Mass Rapes in Eastern Congo, Government Missing in Action (August 26, 2010)
5. • FDLR Rebels Continue Campaign of Terror in Eastern Congo (August 23, 2010)
6. • Two Suspects Arrested in Attack on MONUSCO Base (August 20, 2010)
7. • Ban Ki-moon deplores deadly attack against blue helmets in North Kivu (August 18, 2010)
8. • Huge DR Congo gold mine to open, displacing 15,000 (July 22, 2010)
9. • Rights Group Says Arms Transport Needs Regulation (July 19, 2010)
10. • Ban Ki-moon inaugurates new phase of UN mission in DR Congo (July 1, 2010)
11. • Congo Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Independence (June 30, 2010)
12. • Top UN envoy bids farewell to first batch of blue helmets leaving DR Congo (June 16, 2010)
13. • Veteran United States diplomat appointed to top UN post in DR Congo (June 9, 2010)
14. • UN to reduce DR Congo peace force (May 28, 2010)
15. • Security Council agrees to convert UN mission in DR Congo into stabilization force (May 28, 2010)
16. • U.S. Official Sees Improvement in Africa's Great Lakes Region (May 26, 2010)
17. • Great Lakes regional body calls for free, fair elections in member states (May 23, 2010)
18. • Great Lakes states meet in Uganda over conflict minerals (May 23, 2010)
19. • African Leaders Discuss Nile River Dispute (May 23, 2010)
20. • Back from DR Congo, Security Council set to review mandate of UN force (May 17, 2010)
21. • Security Council members depart for two-day visit to DR Congo (May 13, 2010)
22. • 54 FDLR Rebels Relocated from North Kivu to Katanga (May 4, 2010)
23. • UN chief warns against early withdrawal from DR Congo (April 30, 2010)
24. • U.N. Security Council Cancels Congo Trip (April 16, 2010)
25. • DR Congo army regains control of Mbandaka (April 4, 2010)
26. • Enyele rebels enter major city in Equateur province (April 4, 2010)
27. • Mazembe, Esperance, Ahly advance in Champions League (April 3, 2010)
28. • Behind Human Rights Watch Report on LRA, a Plea for MONUC to Remain in the Congo (March 29, 2010)
29. • New strategy needed against LRA in DR Congo, says UN chief (March 28, 2010)
30. • UN mission in DR Congo vows continued support for army (March 24, 2010)

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