社交媒体向叙利亚难民提供了些许安慰

AS IT IS 2015-06-28 Social Media Offers Small Comforts to Syrian Refugees 社交媒体向叙利亚难民提供了些许安慰

The Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan is where many Syrian refugees live. Inside the camp, families are using the social media website Twitter to tweet -- send messages -- to friends and family. As the war in Syria intensifies¹ and the humanitarian² crisis deepens, the use of social media mobile phone applications are holding together families that are physically³ torn apart.

Mohamed al-Refai sells mobile phones at a shop in the market in Za'atari. The refugee camp is near Jordan's border with Syria. The camp houses more than 80,000 people.

Over the loud sound of a machine that produces electricity at the refugee camp, al-Refai describes the phones in his shop.

Many people here say for families separated by war, information and communication are almost as important as food and shelter.

As he flips⁴ through his mobile phone, al-Refai's friend shows the news from Syria.

"This. The suffering in Syria and the killing⁵."

Al-Refai says he uses Facebook to follow the news. He uses the application WhatsApp to follow his family.

He says his family in Syria moves from place to place, fleeing the violence.

Al-Refai says not many people have laptops at the refugee camp, but everyone who can afford one has a smart phone.

One of the news sources for many residents is a Za'atari Facebook page. It reports on what is happening inside the camp and in refugees’ neighborhoods at home.

On a dusty street lined with tents and trailers, Mohamad Hamza Refai says half the people in the camp follow this page.

Aid workers say they also use social media to raise funds, which is increasingly difficult after more than four years of war.

Nasreddine Touaibia, a U.N refugee agency spokesman, says Za’atari is the first refugee camp to have a Twitter account reporting news from the inside.

"In terms of raising awareness⁶ it is very efficient. We are reaching out to a larger audience and we are targeting people from all walks of life. And we see them interacting with us. Asking questions. Wanting to find out how is the situation in Za'atari. How are refugees coping with Za'atari?"

Since the war began, about half the population of Syria has been displaced. Hundreds of thousands have been killed.

Young people here say they are constantly looking for new applications for their phones that do not cost a lot of money. They want to keep track of their families and speak to them more often. Some doubt a Twitter feed will offer much direct relief, but when there is enough electricity to operate mobile phones, social media offers at least a little comfort.

Words in This Story

flip(s) through– phrasal verb. look or search quickly through something

displace –v. to force people to leave the area where they live

torn – v. to pull apart

trailer – n. a vehicle that can be parked and used as an office or home

1 intensifies   

n.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的名词复数 )v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A clear atmosphere intensifies the blue of the sky. 纯净的空气使天空变得更蓝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blowing on fire intensifies the heat. 吹火使热度加强。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

3 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

4 flips   

轻弹( flip的第三人称单数 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥

参考例句：

• Larry flips on the TV while he is on vacation in Budapest. 赖瑞在布达佩斯渡假时，打开电视收看节目。
• He flips through a book before making a decision. 他在决定买下一本书前总要先草草翻阅一下。

5 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

6 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。