This allowed Haitian police to take back control of Téléco, the main telecoms hub in the country, which had been taken over by gangs last week. That’s when the nation’s most powerful gang federation, Viv Ansanm, orchestrated a coup. This unprecedented action immobilized air traffic controllers and crippled internet connectivity nationwide. This event has underscored the current violent conflict in Haiti between security forces and powerful organized crime groups.
Haitian authorities have pulled off a once impossible coup by regaining control of Téléco. This operation was facilitated by a United Nations-supported intervention force composed primarily of Kenyan police. The police operation came just months after Viv Ansanm had first occupied the site, putting the government on the backfoot with demands for negotiations. The takeover decimated the city’s communications infrastructure and in turn raised deadly health and safety issues. Gang members recently kidnapped eight people, including an Irish missionary and a three-year-old child, who are still missing.
The first testimony referenced above occurred during the police operation, when officers discovered several firearms on the Téléco premises. This involved automatic weapons with serial numbers scratched off and more than 1,000 bullets. The sheer volume of this weaponry further highlights the vast challenges law enforcement in Haiti is up against.
In a letter to Commissioner of Police Michel-Augé, handler of the protests escalated and made sure his team demonstrated at every moment their desire to keep order.
“When the population is sleeping, the police are not sleeping. They are working to ensure that people can sleep.” – Michel-Ange Louis Jeune
This massive police operation came in a community just recently rocked by violent gang warfare. Just earlier this month, gang members had stormed an orphanage there. The crisis is especially acute now as the area faces rampant gang intimidation and murder.
Just two days after the Téléco seizure, Haiti’s civil aviation agency denounced the gangs’ actions. It claimed that the service disruption was minimal. It understood all too well, and feared, the risk of much deeper disorder given the strategic importance of Téléco.
Gang members recorded the coup and uploaded videos displaying their new dominance over Téléco. They further intimidated and extorted the government by vowing to abandon negotiations in good faith going forward. One gang member known as Didi stated in a video:
“You see, this is not a rumor. I am in Téléco.”
Footage from the takeover depicted gang members disassembling servers and manipulating equipment at the facility, further demonstrating their audacity and operational capability.
Diego Da Rin, a congressional representative who has been instrumental in keeping tabs on the takeover, noted how unprecedented the takeover was.
“It was a bit unusual,” – Diego Da Rin
The significance of this incident extends well beyond telecommunications. It draws attention to the larger sociopolitical landscape of Haiti, which is plagued by gang violence and government corruption, leading to an atmosphere of lawlessness and intimidation. It is a rapidly evolving environment. Counts of recent police actions to dramatically improve security and safety within the community.
Haitian authorities are on the frontlines in this fight against daily gang violence. They have a tough road ahead to win back order and the faith of their citizens. My heart is with the families still anxiously awaiting news of their missing loved ones. At the same time, enforcement is planning its next move in the fight against organized crime.
