The tale of six Brits stuck in the Cuetzelan cave complex in Mexico has turned
out to be a story of intrigue and has provoked an international, diplomatic row
between Mexico and Britain.At the heart of the dispute is the fact that five of the six cavers are members
of British Armed Forces, and the speculation as to what they were doing in the
caves. Rumours abound that they were there looking for Uranium supplies or some
other material which could be turned into weapons, and while this may be little
more than speculation, there is something seriously amiss and confusing in what
we are being told about them.
Mexican President, Vicente Fox, wants to know why the cavers were in the
country on tourist visas and his foreign minister is seeking clarification
from the UK Government. Mexico's National Migration Institute says that
scientific and exploration teams require special visas and laws prohibited
military forces undertaking training exercises in the country.
The expedition's organiser, Paz Vale, tells us that all the cavers are there as
civilians, "fulfilling their love of caving and desire to visit and understand
the unknown".
The Foreign Office also denies a military role with respect to
the cavers saying that it was, "strictly a caving expedition, has no other
purpose and any suggestions to the contrary are completely unfounded".
The Ministry of Defence, on the other hand, says the men were there during a
combined services adventurous training expedition but were not on exercise,
yet that sounds a bit like having your cake and eating it. How can an
official military "training expedition" not be an "exercise" without bending
semantics ?
Stephen Whitlock, one of the expedition's support team rather gave the game
away when he said that although it was an official military expedition,
they were there simply to map the caves, and that everyone should,
"disassociate the fact that we're here as military".
So is it an official military expedition ? Is it therefore a military exercise ?
Do they hold the right visas to be doing what they are doing ? And is what they
are doing illegal ?
The answers seems to be "yes", "no", "maybe" and "possibly not", in any sort of
mix you'd like to apply to any of the questions. That's about as clear as mud,
and its no surprise that the Mexicans want some straight answers.
They forget however that Britain's Governmental bodies don't necessarily give
straight answers, let alone know what the right hand is doing from the left.
