The LURD rebels have agreed to hold peace talks with the government and the government has agreed to work out a time and place to talk. Meanwhile, a popular rumor in the capital is that LURD is actually on the payroll of president Charles Taylor, being paid with money from illegal diamond sales to provide the illusion of instability to intimidate opposition politicians who want to vote Taylor out of office. However, the violence LURD is inflicting on civilians is very real, and the army troops are not much better. Whatever LURD's motives, the damage they are doing is very real.