Kurds in the Ottoman Empire
The Kurdish people represent a Muslim ethnic minority predominantly within Turkey, with their own language and cultural identity.The Kurds in the Ottoman Empire lived autonomously and even had territorial autonomy (now a point of contention with Kurds, as they are the worlds largest stateless "nation").
Data from The Kurdish Project
Populations of nations. Palestinian and Kurdish people represent stateless groups.
The Millet System
The word "Millet" comes from the arabic "millah" which literally means "nation." Therefore, millets in the Ottoman Empire allowed religious and ethnic minorities to exist as "nations" within the broader empire. [1]
This is in part due to the empire's inability to rule strong-handedly, but it also shows a level of tolerance and relatively peaceful coexistance that is called for today.
Alevis in the Ottoman Empire
The story of the Alevis in the Ottoman Empire is not as inspiring/uplifting. Even in the presence of the millet system, the Alevis have been targeted and attacked since the earliest days of the empire, with massacres occuing under several different sultans.[2]
In the Ottoman Empire, we see that identity and citizenship is heavily reliant on religion, and Sunni Islam is the only right answer for Muslim peoples.
This culture of violance persisted into the modern day in Turkey and the Alevis are still a vulnerable group. Additionally, the state continues to blatantly discriminate against non-Sunni Muslims in order to create and strengthen nationalism.
[1] Akturk, “Persistance of the Islamic Millet as an Ottoman Legacy: Mono-Religious and Anti-Ethnic Definition of Turkish Nationhood,” 893-909.
[2] Paul, Amanda and Seyrek, Demir Murat. “Freedom of religion in Turkey – The Alevi issue.” European Policy Centre, January 24, 2014. Accessed June 6, 2016. www.epc.eu/pub_details.php?pub_id=4093.