Pretty much, yeah. Cornwall is taking is slow, hard to say what his actual motivations are, but whatever his reasons, that is the effect.I think the minister (I somehow can't remember his name) basically sacrificed them so when he sent his dark elf cousin out of Sylanar people wouldn't riot because they thought if was going to go full abolitionist next.
But, it is one of those things you have to do slowly, if you don't want a war, so what can you do?