This type of attitude is, in the vision of James J. Reid a sort of "mind games" played by the ottomans in the territories of the Kurdish population. However, similar tactics, such as military oppression, prevention of social gatherings would take place in several parts of the empire where religion was not an issue to be different.
By comparison, with the religious minorities such as the Greek Balkan Christians or the Armenian Christians, the most important oppression was the one related to religion because it was also the most important difference. Religion represents a strong connection at the social level especially because it provides the necessary parameters that can be addressed when in times of crisis. Christianity has always been an issue for the Muslim empire particularly because South East Europe was in general, with few exceptions, a Christian region. Therefore, in terms of oppressive measures, religious...
This is the time in which a lot of Christian churches were destroyed in South East Europe and beautiful mosques built (Hobsbawn, 1997).
Overall, the issue of the Ottoman Empire as it was know in history has relied heavily on the way in which the Empire managed to maintain its power since the mid 15th century. However, this was achieved through considerable breach of minority rights that included cultural and religious oppressive measures. However, despite these measures, the Ottoman Empire collapsed under its own weight after the end of the First World War and most of its territories became independent.
References
Hobsbawn, E. 1997. The Age of Capital. 1848 -- 1875. London: Abacus.
Reid, J. 2000. Crisis of the Ottoman Empire. Prelude to collaps 1838 -- 1878. Stuttgart: Steiner.
