The World: The Black Australians

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Since Australia's 150,000 aborigines constitute only about 1% of the country's population, they have never had much clout in Australian politics. Last December, however, militant young "Abos," calling themselves "black Australians," staged a violent demonstration in Brisbane. For the past month, to dramatize their case for land rights, they have been operating an eleven-tent "Abo Embassy" across from Parliament House in Canberra. "We are tired of hanging around the white man's door waiting for crumbs," cried Abo Journalist John Newfong. The Abos' next target: Interior Minister Ralph Hunt, whom they hope to defeat in elections late this year.

This week the Australian Cabinet will decide whether to seek the power to remove the Abo Embassy from the nearby lawn. If the Abos refuse to go away peacefully, the man who will have to decide whether to remove them by force will be none other than Interior Minister Hunt.