Social networks keep Haitian people informed and comforted

By Garry Pierre-Pierre
The Haitian Times

PORT-AU-PRINCE - On Tuesday, January 12, a small story from the Associated Press came across the wires that an earthquake had hit Haiti. Almost instantly, phones began to ring as Haitian-Americans started calling each other to know if there was more to this story. While there was not much available at the time, what was clear was that a category 7 quake was not good. The aftermath, everyone feared, will be catastrophic.

So while people called each other, listened to Haitian radio for news, they began to circulate words through Facebook and other social networks. Haitians, once reliant on radio and word of mouth as their primary means of communications, have adapted quite well to the new media and social networks.

The use of social networks as a major way of communication is a first for Haitians who historically have relied on radio and word of mouth as the best source of information. But the earthquake knocked out all communication out of Haiti and for couple of days, Facebook, Twitter, and Hi5 were the place for millions of Haitians to congregate.

Hours after the earthquake, scores of online communities had been created on Facebook supporting Haiti. They have names like "Together We Can Rebuild Haiti, "California for Haiti" and "Earthquake Haiti". It was a way for people to vent as well to stay informed in the situation. They were also a way to comfort people.

"We will pass the message but that is not true they are not only feeding American citizens. I have friends and family that have gotten food and they are not citizens," wrote Andie Cassion on her Facebook wall.

"We need to start a large exodus and migrate two million people," wrote Graffiki on Twitter.
Asie Woozy wrote: "My prayers go to the people of Haiti. To the rest of us, instead of making excuses, pointing fingers use the energy to help Haitians instead."

On that Tuesday night, one Facebook poster urged everyone of her friends to change their wall photo with a picture of the Haitian flag and within hours, thousands of people had done so. Some, wishing to do so, didn't know where to find a flag and the poster sent a link.

In the early days there wasn't much information coming out of Haiti and the tension and angst among people outside steadily rose. When posters found out that a team of journalists from The Haitian Times were going down to report on the earthquake, the reporters received more than 100 posts requesting that they look for relatives and friends.

The earthquake had knocked out power lines and communications in Haiti and almost a week later only a handful of radio stations are operating in Port-au-Prince. One station, Signal FM, has become the glue that has helped people in Haiti where radio remains king. This is the place where everyone comes to share the latest news since information has become a premium. The station has received and broadcast thousands of announcements from listeners in the United States and Haiti seeking information about loved ones.

"This is part of our social mission," said Michel Soukar director of Signal FM. "We're going to do whatever it takes."