U.VA. FACULTY WORK TO DISSIPATE
 ENVIRONMENTAL, ETHNIC POISONS

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Nov. 29 -- The demise of the Cold War
has left Estonia with ethnic mistrust and suspicion as it evolves
into a democratic nation.  Beset by ethnic tension between a
majority population of native Estonians and a minority of Russian
speakers left behind at the end of the war, the country also faces
widespread pollution problems -- many caused by the former
occupation of Soviet troops. 
	An interdisciplinary group of psychoanalysts, diplomats,
historians, environmental experts and others working through the
University of Virginia's Center for Study of Mind and Human
Interaction (CSMHI) is helping to reduce ethnic tensions, improve
the physical and psychological environment and bring a new sense of
hope and trust that many envisioned when the Cold War ended.
	 "We want to make divorce from the former Soviet Union as
painless as possible, and remove the ethnic poison from
relationships in the country," said Vamik Volkan, U.Va. professor of
psychiatry and CSMHI director.
	Center faculty have been holding periodic conferences in
Estonia over the past several years to assist in developing programs
that would rid the country of ethnic and environmental poisons.
Attending the conferences have been Volkan; Maurice Apprey,
professor of psychiatric medicine and associate dean of minority
affairs in the Medical School; W. Nathaniel Howell, former
ambassador to Kuwait and director of U.Va.'s Arabian Peninsula and
Gulf Studies Program; and Yuri Urbanovich, former associate
professor at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy and
now CSMHI's international scholar.
	The faculty view the interactive conferences are a first
step toward promoting psychological independence and peaceful
co-existence with Russia.  They have also focused on developing
concrete projects to help Estonia cope with other problems, such as
the environment.  George J. Moein, director of U.Va.'s Hazardous
Materials Management Institute, has been working with the CSMHI team
to address the environmental concerns. 
	Volkan, Apprey, Urbanovich and Moein have just returned from
holding meetings in Estonia, and Howell led discussions there in
October.
	Critical in CSMHI's model to reduce ethnic tension is to
hold "psychopolitical" group sessions -- meetings of people of
influence, such as high-level parliamentarians, educators and
scholars.  Seeing themselves as catalysts for change, Volkan, Apprey
and their colleagues view their jobs at these meetings as
"transforming behavior." As part of their intervention strategies,
they ask participants to recount personal stories of their
experiences as a way to advance discussion of long-simmering
resentments.  
	Although the telling of personal hardships often stimulates
empathy, the closeness is usually followed by a sudden withdrawal of
both sides as the ethnic groups realize their reactions.  As the
process continues, they again experience closeness, followed again
by withdrawal.  The pattern repeats itself numerous times in a
process Volkan likens to the playing of an accordion -- squeezing
together and pulling apart.  
	The "accordion process" allows participants to examine human
emotions that unwittingly affect the construction of their laws,
policies and customs, Volkan and Apprey noted.  By acknowledging
each other's traumatic experiences, participants are able to move
beyond emotion to consider the common problems they face and to look
for ways they can work together. 
Giving Children New Ideas
	In addition to the work with adults, Apprey is leading an
effort to educate children.  After helping participants in group
meetings realize that ideals of family and love are important to
both Estonians and Russians, he has been designing programs to
prevent the perpetuation of ethnic mistrust.  
	One project would help educators reexamine how they teach.
"History teachers used to have to teach history only from a Soviet
perspective; they were told what to teach as a way of solidifying
power.  Now teachers need to be given help in learning how to teach
accurate history -- history that does not distort facts as a means
of revenge," Apprey said.  He proposes train-the-teachers sessions
in which 30 participants will be given skills to train other groups
of teachers.
	Another proposed project would help rid kindergartners of
ethnic mistrust.  "Russian children are perceived and stereotyped as
being very aggressive and able to wrest power from Estonian
children. We are being asked to reduce this perceived aggressive
behavior and break the cycle of reproducing ethnic conflict," Apprey
said.
	Still another project Apprey envisions would train
Russian-speaking and Estonia journalists together so that they could
break the cycle of isolation and separatist news reporting.
Reducing Environment Threats
	 Among the environmental problems identified in early 1995
by George Moein and his team was the presence of large volumes of
fly ash containing heavy metals and other contaminants, high levels
of radio-active waste, poorly containerized nuclear waste and large
volumes of hazardous waste from years of unmanaged disposal
practices in the northern tier of the country.
	Another source of environmental problems that deeply affects
the socio-economic fiber of the country is the presence of more than
500 abandoned military bases formerly occupied by the Soviet Union.
The open areas contain highly toxic rocket fuel, other oily wastes
and chemical contaminants. 
	Northeast Estonia suffers from severe air pollution
problems.  The Baltic and Estonian thermal power plants have
outmoded air purifying equipment and are heated with low-grade oil
shale with high ash content.  An estimated 300,000 tons of dust are
emitted into the atmosphere annually. 
	 "The environmental concerns are critical because of the
enormous impact they have on public health," said Moein, who noted
that the widespread pollution affects air, water, soil and ground
water.
	Among Moein's proposals are a further investigation of
pollution related to the abandoned military bases and development of
plans to rehabilitate the land.  Through this process certain parts
of bases containing high levels of toxic wastes or chemical warfare
agents would be cordoned off, helping to avoid exposure to children
and adults. 
	 Moein also proposes two-week train-the-trainer programs to
help Estonians conduct assessments by themselves. In recognition of
successful training programs U.Va.'s Hazardous Materials Management
Institute has conducted in the past, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency recently awarded Moein funding to develop
environmental-training modules for use in Eastern Europe.
	Other key proposals include offering technical assistance
for implementing clean technologies in the oil shale industry.
"Basic technologies and training available in the U.S. can be
transferred to ease the existing situation and to establish a
framework for better environmental management practices," Moein said.
Making a Difference
	Volkan sees the processes the faculty are employing in
Estonia as being applicable not only to other Baltic states but in
other parts of the world as well.  "We have seen ethnic issues come
to the forefront in the world.  We can no longer deny the drive
behind ethnic identity.  Our work gets to the emotional core of
ethnic conflict and can help people move beyond their grievances,"
he said.
	The faculty's work in Estonia has been funded by grants from
the Pew Charitable Trusts, the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Charles
Stewart Mott Foundation and the International Research and Exchanges
Board.
	Noting that Estonia is roughly the size of Maryland, Volkan
said, "One reason we are focusing on Estonia is the country is small
enough that we believe our intervention will produce measurable
results.  We think we can make a difference."
###
November 28, 1995
	FOR MORE INFORMATION contact Volkan at (804) 924-2996 or
(804) 982 1045, Apprey at (804) 924-5579, Moein at (804) 982-5273,
Howell at (804) 924 2361 or Urbanovich at (804) 982-3836. 

	Note: Photographs of the environmental hazards in Estonia
and the faculty's interactions with children are available.