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Below is the message I just received from Chuck Jones, giving some
details and news that was at best sketchy in his first two messages.
This will likely be my LAST posting on this Chuu Ha incident involving
Chuck Jones and the archeological recovery team, as I'll be spending 3
weeks diving in Cozumel, later this month.
Chuck first responded to my inquiry about members of the 6 person team,
and Dave Milhollin's role (since he was mentioned in George's post). The
remainder is Chuck's summary and opinion on matters pertinent to the
incident.
PLEASE ADDRESS FOLLOW-UPS to Chuck Jones <103531.3141@Co*.CO*>
DIRECTLY, as I have no "independent" sources at this time to verify any
of the stated facts, though I believe them to be true as Chuck stated.
Should there be any discrepancies in facts, from what I can learn from
other sources while I am in Cozumel, I'll report them on my return in
August, if not sooner.
Below is the verbatim text of Chuck's latest message, line-edited in
format for easier reading only.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Chuck & Anne <103531.3141@Co*.CO*>
Date: 02 Jul 96 00:05:04 EDT
Dave was not here for the recovery and so he missed all of the fun.
Last year he began a quest to save the artifacts thru his contacts as an
archeologist but he was unable to rouse a response from the Mex.
authorities. Dave lives in Texas and is affiliated with UTA.
The entire recovery team was arrested.
The people arrested were :
1 Chuck Jones Cave diver NACD
American
2 German Yanez Cave Instructor NACD
Mexican
3 Miguel Nunez Cavern Diver & Noted U W photographer
Mexican (who volunteed to take photos) NACD
4 Sheila Gracey Cave Diver & operator of Sea Star Videos
American (who volunteered to take video) NACD
5 Nahum Noguera Rico archeologist and official of INAH (National
Mexican Institute of History and Archeology) and head of
the San Gervasio Ruins who was the person who
initiated the recovery of the artifacts with
full authorization from INEA and who invited the
participation of the team of volunteers who were
subsequently arrested by the PRG (a hybrid of
municipal and Federal Attorney General
authorities).
6 Mark Laurence local business owner with a love of archeology
Canadian who stopped to see if the recovery team needed
water to drink.
In addition,local media had been invited to cover the event. It took
place on a Sunday morning in the middle of a cleared lot across from the
public housing on Ave. 65. Not exactly clandestine.
The recovery/recue took place when it did because the cenote is being
cemented over for construction and acess would be lost forever . We
drove by on Sunday and the site is being fenced to bring in the
construction materials.
The artifacts recovered were 5 clay pots that appeared to be water
vessels. They were brought up, for the most part intact and in excellant
condition for study. The arresting authorities refused to allow Nahum to
crate the pottery in order to protect it. He literally pleaded with
them,explaining that their value would be destroyed if they were not
properly handled. They replied that they did not care and that this was
of no importance to them. They (the vessels) are now virtually
destroyed as a consequence. INAH is planning to sue the local authoities
for this wanton neglect.
At the final hearing, the judge found all charges against the recue team
to be unfounded and he cleared them of any wrongdoing or appearance of
wrongdoing. He furthur ruled that INAH was the proper authority to recue
artifacts and that INAH and all involved had acted correctly in every
way. All charges were dropped. INAH apologized to the volunteers and
they are discussing reimbursement of our legal expenses. They flew in
their chief counsel and a top official from Mexico City to verify to the
court that all permits were genuine.
We are presently gathering copies of the permits that had been issued,
etc to verify this account, but they are, of course, in Spanish. Local
press coverage was mixed, some stories were very supportive and
acknowledged that the charges were at best, a mix up, at worst,
deliberately trumped up.Some press was quite hostile and leaned heavily
on the "foreign involvement" issue. There were many erroneous reports
of recovery of artifacts made of gold or jade, some spread by the cave
divers in Akumal who fanned the flames without regard to the facts.
There is much speculation regarding the reason the team was arrested.
Most popular conspiracy theories include :
a) several of the team were active in the protests to save
Paradise reef
b) Mexico is presently very annoyed about legislation in the US
re trade with Cuba and they are demonstrating their power
c) a business competitor of Mark's has been harrassing him for
years because he is a foreigner who has done well here and
this guy WAS at the site rabble rousing and phoning the
mayor,demanding the arrests
d) the mayor, Victor Vivas wanted a "hot button" to drum up
popular support because he was accused of stealing the
election and he wanted to divert local attention from the
teacher strike and pier protests
e) Nahum has enemies in INEA who wanted his job and they did not
come forth to support him right away,making the situation
worse.
All of the above probably played a part. In politics nothing is simple.
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