Slavery was abolished only in the 1960’s and 1970’s in the Gulf. Afro Arabs or Zanzibari’s are not considered equal in practice for government appointments even today. The spirit of the unequal Kafala system lies in Indian Ocean Slavery, and since policy making is carried out in a historical vacuum with no appreciation for culture, that aspect is often missed. This is an aspect I am exploring in my book project. Racism is hardly tackled as well although there are important conversations in Kuwait.
