Myanmar

qas: question: How much a  Myanmar's boundaries are encompassed by beachfront lands?
answers: text: (1,200 miles) forms an uninterrupted coastline

question: How many people dwell in  Myanmar ?
answers: text: 51 million people recorded

question: What is the land mass of  Myanmar ?
answers: text: Myanmar is 676,578 square kilometres (261,227 sq mi) in size

question: Is the capital city the holder of the largest amount of the population in  Myanmar ?
answers: text: largest city is Yangon (Rangoon)

question: What is the name of the capital city of Myanmar?
answers: text: capital city is Naypyidaw
context: Myanmar (myan-MAR i/miɑːnˈmɑːr/ mee-ahn-MAR, /miˈɛnmɑːr/ mee-EN-mar or /maɪˈænmɑːr/ my-AN-mar (also with the stress on first syllable); Burmese pronunciation: [mjəmà]),[nb 1] officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and also known as Burma, is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia bordered by Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand. One-third of Myanmar's total perimeter of 1,930 km (1,200 miles) forms an uninterrupted coastline along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. The country's 2014 census revealed a much lower population than expected, with 51 million people recorded. Myanmar is 676,578 square kilometres (261,227 sq mi) in size. Its capital city is Naypyidaw and its largest city is Yangon (Rangoon).

qas: question: What were the names of some of the early cultures located in Myanmar?
answers: text: Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu city-states in Upper Burma and the Mon kingdoms in Lower Burma

question: When did the dominant religion of Myanmar become something outside of the mainstream ? 
answers: text: in the 1050s, the Burmese language, culture and Theravada Buddhism slowly became dominant in the country.

question: What caused the downfall of the downfall of the the original kingdom in Myanmar?
answers: text: The Pagan Kingdom fell due to the Mongol invasions and several warring states emerged

question: Whose rule  was Myanmar under when it was one of the most massive kingdoms in Southeast Asia ?
answers: text: Taungoo Dynasty

question: When did was Myanmar ruled by the Taungoo Dynasty ?
answers: text: In the 16th century
context: Early civilisations in Myanmar included the Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu city-states in Upper Burma and the Mon kingdoms in Lower Burma. In the 9th century, the Bamar people entered the upper Irrawaddy valley and, following the establishment of the Pagan Kingdom in the 1050s, the Burmese language, culture and Theravada Buddhism slowly became dominant in the country. The Pagan Kingdom fell due to the Mongol invasions and several warring states emerged. In the 16th century, reunified by the Taungoo Dynasty, the country was for a brief period the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia. The early 19th century Konbaung Dynasty ruled over an area that included modern Myanmar and briefly controlled Manipur and Assam as well. The British conquered Myanmar after three Anglo-Burmese Wars in the 19th century and the country became a British colony. Myanmar became an independent nation in 1948, initially as a democratic nation and then, following a coup d'état in 1962, a military dictatorship.

qas: question: What major conflict is Myanmar known for?
answers: text: one of the world's longest-running ongoing civil wars.

question: What portion of the government was eventually separated from government participation? 
answers: text: the military junta

question: What type of government is now established in Myanmar?
answers: text: a nominally civilian government

question: Are previous leaders a hendrence to the current government?
answers: text: former military leaders still wield enormous power in the country

question: Has the country been able to overcome the problems of government with the previous regime?
answers: text: Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a majority in both houses, ending military rule.
context: For most of its independent years, the country has been engrossed in rampant ethnic strife and Burma's myriad ethnic groups have been involved in one of the world's longest-running ongoing civil wars. During this time, the United Nations and several other organisations have reported consistent and systematic human rights violations in the country. In 2011, the military junta was officially dissolved following a 2010 general election, and a nominally civilian government was installed. While former military leaders still wield enormous power in the country, Burmese Military have taken steps toward relinquishing control of the government. This, along with the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners, has improved the country's human rights record and foreign relations, and has led to the easing of trade and other economic sanctions. There is, however, continuing criticism of the government's treatment of the Muslim Rohingya minority and its poor response to the religious clashes. In the landmark 2015 election, Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a majority in both houses, ending military rule.

qas: question: Where did the name Burma originate from ?
answers: text: names are derived from the name of the majority Burmese Bamar ethnic group

question: What is the considered to be the name in slang terms for the people of Myanmar?
answers: text: Burma is derived from "Bamar", the colloquial form of the group's name

question: How is the slang term for the people of Burma articulated correctly ?
answers: text: Depending on the register used, the pronunciation would be Bama (pronounced: [bəmà])

question: When did the term for the people of Burma become a common place word in English?
answers: text: The name Burma has been in use in English since the 18th century.
context: In English, the country is popularly known as either "Burma" or "Myanmar" i/ˈmjɑːnˌmɑːr/. Both these names are derived from the name of the majority Burmese Bamar ethnic group. Myanmar is considered to be the literary form of the name of the group, while Burma is derived from "Bamar", the colloquial form of the group's name. Depending on the register used, the pronunciation would be Bama (pronounced: [bəmà]) or Myamah (pronounced: [mjəmà]). The name Burma has been in use in English since the 18th century.

qas: question: By which name is the country called by most English speaking countries?
answers: text: Burma continues to be used in English by the governments of many countries, such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom

question: How is Burma officially identified in the United States 
answers: text: Burma (Myanmar)

question: What is the country called in sessions of the United Nations?
answers: text: United Nations uses Myanmar

question: What does the current president of the United States call the country in official settings?
answers: text: Burma (Myanmar)" and Barack Obama has referred to the country by both names
context: Burma continues to be used in English by the governments of many countries, such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Official United States policy retains Burma as the country's name, although the State Department's website lists the country as "Burma (Myanmar)" and Barack Obama has referred to the country by both names. The Czech Republic uses officially Myanmar, although its Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentions both Myanmar and Burma on its website. The United Nations uses Myanmar, as do the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Russia, Germany, China, India, Norway, and Japan.

qas: question: What extinct species of hominid that lived throughout most of the Pleistocene geological period is believed to have dwelled in Myanmar?
answers: text: Homo erectus

question: When was the extinct species believed to have lived in Myanmar?
answers: text: 400,000 years ago

question: What is the name of the civilization that is believed to be one of the oldest. 
answers: text: Anyathian

question: Did any other ancient cultures also leave behind evidence of existence in Myanmar?
answers: text: neolithic age domestication of plants and animals and the use of polished stone tools dating to sometime between 10,000 and 6,000 BC has been discovered

question: What form was the evidence of ancient cultures discovered in ?
answers: text: discovered in the form of cave paintings
context: Archaeological evidence shows that Homo erectus lived in the region now known as Myanmar as early as 400,000 years ago. The first evidence of Homo sapiens is dated to about 11,000 BC, in a Stone Age culture called the Anyathian with discoveries of stone tools in central Myanmar. Evidence of neolithic age domestication of plants and animals and the use of polished stone tools dating to sometime between 10,000 and 6,000 BC has been discovered in the form of cave paintings near the city of Taunggyi.

qas: question: By what name is the era in the 3rd millennium around 1500 BC known?
answers: text: The Bronze Age

question: What events of significance to human development occurred during the Bronze Age ?
answers: text: people in the region were turning copper into bronze, growing rice

question: What event evolving animals are the Myanmar also accredited with being the first to accomplish?
answers: text: domesticating poultry and pigs

question: When did the Age of Iron begin?
answers: text: The Iron Age began around 500 BC

question: What events punctuate the beginning of the Iron Age?
answers: text: with the emergence of iron-working settlements in an area south of present-day Mandalay
context: The Bronze Age arrived circa 1500 BC when people in the region were turning copper into bronze, growing rice and domesticating poultry and pigs; they were among the first people in the world to do so. Human remains and artifacts from this era were discovered in Monywa District in the Sagaing Division. The Iron Age began around 500 BC with the emergence of iron-working settlements in an area south of present-day Mandalay. Evidence also shows the presence of rice-growing settlements of large villages and small towns that traded with their surroundings as far as China between 500 BC and 200 AD. Iron Age Burmese cultures also had influences from outside sources such as India and Thailand, as seen in their funerary practices concerning child burials. This indicates some form of communication between groups in Myanmar and other places, possibly through trade.

qas: question: What period was the first known city states established in Myanmar?
answers: text: Around the second century BC

question: From what people have were the first records known to be existent derived from? 
answers: text: from present-day Yunnan

question: Were any of the early civilizations influenced by each other and if so by what how did it occur?
answers: text: The Pyu culture was heavily influenced by trade with India

question: What Myanmar import from other countries that has been of major importance?
answers: text: Buddhism as well as other cultural, architectural and political concepts
context: Around the second century BC the first-known city-states emerged in central Myanmar. The city-states were founded as part of the southward migration by the Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu city-states, the earliest inhabitants of Myanmar of whom records are extant, from present-day Yunnan. The Pyu culture was heavily influenced by trade with India, importing Buddhism as well as other cultural, architectural and political concepts which would have an enduring influence on later Burmese culture and political organisation.

qas: question: How long did it take for Myanmar to recover from the collapse of it's first kingdom ?
answers: text: 250 years

question: Did the Mongol invasions of Burma leave any lasting signs?
answers: text: Shan migrants who arrived with the Mongol invasions stayed behind

question: Who was involved merger of the smaller states into the two largest factions of Myanmar ?
answers: text: Ava Kingdom and Hanthawaddy Kingdom

question: What is the name of the kingdom that became dominant along the coastline of Myanmar? 
answers: text: Kingdom of Mrauk U
context: Pagan's collapse was followed by 250 years of political fragmentation that lasted well into the 16th century. Like the Burmans four centuries earlier, Shan migrants who arrived with the Mongol invasions stayed behind. Several competing Shan States came to dominate the entire northwestern to eastern arc surrounding the Irrawaddy valley. The valley too was beset with petty states until the late 14th century when two sizeable powers, Ava Kingdom and Hanthawaddy Kingdom, emerged. In the west, a politically fragmented Arakan was under competing influences of its stronger neighbours until the Kingdom of Mrauk U unified the Arakan coastline for the first time in 1437.

qas: question: Was there more than one racial class in the organized societies of the states of Myanmar?
answers: text: states were all multi-ethnic polities

question: During what age did the culture of Myanmar grow?
answers: text: This period is considered a golden age

question: Who increased the spread of religious reforms in Myanmar?
answers: text: Hanthawaddy monarchs

question: Who is the monarch that has some of the most impressive built in their honor in the Myanmar
answers: text: Mrauk U
context: Like the Pagan Empire, Ava, Hanthawaddy and the Shan states were all multi-ethnic polities. Despite the wars, cultural synchronisation continued. This period is considered a golden age for Burmese culture. Burmese literature "grew more confident, popular, and stylistically diverse", and the second generation of Burmese law codes as well as the earliest pan-Burma chronicles emerged. Hanthawaddy monarchs introduced religious reforms that later spread to the rest of the country. Many splendid temples of Mrauk U were built during this period.

qas: question: Before attempting to obtain political unification, what title did Taungoo,hold ? 
answers: text: a former vassal state of Ava.

question: Who was the ruling monarchy when Taungoo, was vassal?
answers: text: king Tabinshwehti

question: Who was the ruler of the largest kingdom in Southeast Asia ?
answers: text: Bayinnaung

question: In what year did the dynasty of Bayinnaung fully collapse ?
answers: text: 1599

question: Have any other countries ever established a foot hole in Burma?
answers: text: Portuguese mercenaries established Portuguese rule at Thanlyin (Syriam)
context: Political unification returned in the mid-16th century, due to the efforts of Taungoo, a former vassal state of Ava. Taungoo's young, ambitious king Tabinshwehti defeated the more powerful Hanthawaddy in the Toungoo–Hanthawaddy War (1534–41). His successor Bayinnaung went on to conquer a vast swath of mainland Southeast Asia including the Shan states, Lan Na, Manipur, Mong Mao, the Ayutthaya Kingdom, Lan Xang and southern Arakan. However, the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia unravelled soon after Bayinnaung's death in 1581, completely collapsing by 1599. Ayutthaya seized Tenasserim and Lan Na, and Portuguese mercenaries established Portuguese rule at Thanlyin (Syriam).

qas: question: How were the Portuguese expelled from Myanmar?
answers: text: The dynasty regrouped and defeated the Portuguese

question: Did the country have lasting monarchs?
answers: text: Toungoo kings created a legal and political framework whose basic features would continue well into the 19th century

question: Did the original chieftains maintain power political power?
answers: text: The crown completely replaced the hereditary chieftainships with appointed governorships in the entire Irrawaddy valley

question: In what year was one of the original Myanmar kingdoms restored?
answers: text: In 1740, the Mon of Lower Myanmar founded the Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom
context: The dynasty regrouped and defeated the Portuguese in 1613 and Siam in 1614. It restored a smaller, more manageable kingdom, encompassing Lower Myanmar, Upper Myanmar, Shan states, Lan Na and upper Tenasserim. The Restored Toungoo kings created a legal and political framework whose basic features would continue well into the 19th century. The crown completely replaced the hereditary chieftainships with appointed governorships in the entire Irrawaddy valley, and greatly reduced the hereditary rights of Shan chiefs. Its trade and secular administrative reforms built a prosperous economy for more than 80 years. From the 1720s onward, the kingdom was beset with repeated Meithei raids into Upper Myanmar and a nagging rebellion in Lan Na. In 1740, the Mon of Lower Myanmar founded the Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom. Hanthawaddy forces sacked Ava in 1752, ending the 266-year-old Toungoo Dynasty.

qas: question: What was the event called that caused  Ayutthaya  to reclaim lost territories ?
answers: text: the Chinese threat

question: In what year did  Ayutthaya capture Lan Na  ?
answers: text: 1776.

question: What country was Burma at war with with until 1855 ?
answers: text: Arakan

question: Who managed to eventually control the territory of Arakan 
answers: text: King Bodawpaya
context: With Burma preoccupied by the Chinese threat, Ayutthaya recovered its territories by 1770, and went on to capture Lan Na by 1776. Burma and Siam went to war until 1855, but all resulted in a stalemate, exchanging Tenasserim (to Burma) and Lan Na (to Ayutthaya). Faced with a powerful China and a resurgent Ayutthaya in the east, King Bodawpaya turned west, acquiring Arakan (1785), Manipur (1814) and Assam (1817). It was the second-largest empire in Burmese history but also one with a long ill-defined border with British India.

qas: question: What language eventually came to power in the Irrawaddy valley ?
answers: text: Burmese language

question: What was the literacy rate for the Burmese people during the big period of artistic growth?
answers: text: half of all males and 5% of females

question: Did changes move along at a uniform pace for the Burmese people?
answers: text: pace of reforms were uneven and ultimately proved insufficient

question: What country was Burma a colony of ?
answers: text: British

question: What are the kings of the Konbaung monarchy famed for in their rule?
answers: text: Konbaung kings extended Restored Toungoo's administrative reforms, and achieved unprecedented levels of internal control and external expansion
context: Konbaung kings extended Restored Toungoo's administrative reforms, and achieved unprecedented levels of internal control and external expansion. For the first time in history, the Burmese language and culture came to predominate the entire Irrawaddy valley. The evolution and growth of Burmese literature and theatre continued, aided by an extremely high adult male literacy rate for the era (half of all males and 5% of females). Nonetheless, the extent and pace of reforms were uneven and ultimately proved insufficient to stem the advance of British colonialism.

qas: question: have the Burmese people ever shown any reservations about the ruling government bodies?
answers: text: Burmese resentment was strong and was vented in violent riots that paralysed Yangon (Rangoon) on occasion all the way until the 1930s.

question: What were some of problems experienced with the colonialism of Burma by the British?
answers: text: Some of the discontent was caused by a disrespect for Burmese culture and traditions

question: How long was U Wisara on a strike were he refused subsistence ?
answers: text: 166-day hunger strike

question: Was U Wisara able to survive  the protest?
answers: text: died in prison after a 166-day hunger strike

question: Why was U Wisara involved in a resistance movement of such extremes ?
answers: text: to protest against a rule that forbade him from wearing his Buddhist robes while imprisoned.
context: Burmese resentment was strong and was vented in violent riots that paralysed Yangon (Rangoon) on occasion all the way until the 1930s. Some of the discontent was caused by a disrespect for Burmese culture and traditions such as the British refusal to remove shoes when they entered pagodas. Buddhist monks became the vanguards of the independence movement. U Wisara, an activist monk, died in prison after a 166-day hunger strike to protest against a rule that forbade him from wearing his Buddhist robes while imprisoned.

qas: question: Was Burma effected by the world wars?
answers: text: Burma was devastated during World War II

question: Did the British protect Burma as its colony during WWII?
answers: text: the British administration had collapsed

question: Where groups from Burma an advantage to the Allies during WWII?
answers: text: British Chindits were formed into long-range penetration groups trained to operate deep behind Japanese lines. A similar American unit, Merrill's Marauders

question: How many soldiers were lost by the Japanese in Burma during WWII ?
answers: text: the Japanese lost some 150,000 men in Burma

question: When did the temporary Japanese rule end in Burma?
answers: text: the end of Japanese rule in July 1945
context: A major battleground, Burma was devastated during World War II. By March 1942, within months after they entered the war, Japanese troops had advanced on Rangoon and the British administration had collapsed. A Burmese Executive Administration headed by Ba Maw was established by the Japanese in August 1942. Wingate's British Chindits were formed into long-range penetration groups trained to operate deep behind Japanese lines. A similar American unit, Merrill's Marauders, followed the Chindits into the Burmese jungle in 1943. Beginning in late 1944, allied troops launched a series of offensives that led to the end of Japanese rule in July 1945. The battles were intense with much of Burma laid waste by the fighting. Overall, the Japanese lost some 150,000 men in Burma. Only 1,700 prisoners were taken.

qas: question: Who negotiated the agreement that Burma would be free from forgien rule ?
answers: text: Aung San

question: What is the name of the agreement that guarantee Burma's freedom from foreign rule ?
answers: text: the Panglong Agreement

question: What leaders were present during the negotiations made for freedom of the Burmese people?
answers: text: Aung Zan Wai, Pe Khin, Bo Hmu Aung, Sir Maung Gyi, Dr. Sein Mya Maung, Myoma U Than Kywe

question: What position did Aung San hold in the Burmese government?
answers: text: Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of Myanmar

question: When did and how did Aung San pass away ?
answers: text: July 1947, political rivals assassinated Aung San
context: Following World War II, Aung San negotiated the Panglong Agreement with ethnic leaders that guaranteed the independence of Myanmar as a unified state. Aung Zan Wai, Pe Khin, Bo Hmu Aung, Sir Maung Gyi, Dr. Sein Mya Maung, Myoma U Than Kywe were among the negotiators of the historical Panglong Conference negotiated with Bamar leader General Aung San and other ethnic leaders in 1947. In 1947, Aung San became Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of Myanmar, a transitional government. But in July 1947, political rivals assassinated Aung San and several cabinet members.

qas: question: What are the 1988 demonstrations in Burma called?
answers: text: 8888 Uprising

question: Who lead the government coup in 1988 ?
answers: text: General Saw Maung

question: Why was marshal law declared in Burma in 1989?
answers: text: declared martial law after widespread protests.

question: What was the official name of Burma changed to by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)
answers: text: Union of Myanmar

question: Have elections been held in Burma since the military coup in 1988 ?
answers: text: The military government finalised plans for People's Assembly elections on 31 May 1989
context: In 1988, unrest over economic mismanagement and political oppression by the government led to widespread pro-democracy demonstrations throughout the country known as the 8888 Uprising. Security forces killed thousands of demonstrators, and General Saw Maung staged a coup d'état and formed the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). In 1989, SLORC declared martial law after widespread protests. The military government finalised plans for People's Assembly elections on 31 May 1989. SLORC changed the country's official English name from the "Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma" to the "Union of Myanmar" in 1989.

qas: question: What was the cause of the insurrection in the summer of 2007 ?
answers: text: an increase in the price of diesel and petrol

question: What was the name of the insurgency lead by Buddhist Monks?
answers: text: Saffron Revolution

question: Did the insurgency lead to any economic changes in Burma ?
answers: text: an increase in economic sanctions against the Burmese Government.

question: How did the world respond to the reported acts of military violence during the Burmese revolution of 2007?
answers: text: The military crackdown against unarmed protesters was widely condemned as part of the International reactions
context: In August 2007, an increase in the price of diesel and petrol led to Saffron Revolution led by Buddhist monks that were dealt with harshly by the government. The government cracked down on them on 26 September 2007. The crackdown was harsh, with reports of barricades at the Shwedagon Pagoda and monks killed. There were also rumours of disagreement within the Burmese armed forces, but none was confirmed. The military crackdown against unarmed protesters was widely condemned as part of the International reactions to the Saffron Revolution and led to an increase in economic sanctions against the Burmese Government.

qas: question: What natural disaster caused detrimental effects to the Irrawaddy section of Burma in May of 2008 ?  
answers: text: Cyclone Nargis

question: What is the main crop of the delta of the Irrawaddy section of Burma?
answers: text: rice

question: How many people were reported missing or deceased due to the natural disaster of 2007 ?
answers: text: estimated 200,000 people dead or missing

question: How much was the financial cost of the damages of the 2007 natural disaster in Burma ?
answers: text: 10 billion US Dollars

question: Did the government of Myanmar welcome the international efforts of assistance?
answers: text: Myanmar's isolationist government was accused of hindering United Nations recovery efforts
context: In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis caused extensive damage in the densely populated, rice-farming delta of the Irrawaddy Division. It was the worst natural disaster in Burmese history with reports of an estimated 200,000 people dead or missing, and damage totalled to 10 billion US Dollars, and as many as 1 million left homeless. In the critical days following this disaster, Myanmar's isolationist government was accused of hindering United Nations recovery efforts. Humanitarian aid was requested but concerns about foreign military or intelligence presence in the country delayed the entry of United States military planes delivering medicine, food, and other supplies.

qas: question: In 2012 what was the the disturbance with the government running smoothly ? Burma? 
answers: text: the number of ongoing conflicts in Myanmar

question: Were any religious groups involved in the scrimmages ? 
answers: text: Pro-Christian Kachin Independence Army a

question: Were any terrorist groups involved in the Burmese conflicts ? 
answers: text: al-Qaeda

question: Does al-Qaeda believe that Muslims in Burma are in danger?
answers: text: Ayman al-Zawahiri said al-Qaeda had not forgotten the Muslims of Myanmar and that the group was doing "what they can to rescue you".

question: Did Muslims in Burma give a repose to statements made by al-Qaeda? 
answers: text: the Burmese Muslim Association issued a statement saying Muslims would not tolerate any threat to their motherland.
context: In October 2012 the number of ongoing conflicts in Myanmar included the Kachin conflict, between the Pro-Christian Kachin Independence Army and the government; a civil war between the Rohingya Muslims, and the government and non-government groups in Rakhine State; and a conflict between the Shan, Lahu and Karen minority groups, and the government in the eastern half of the country. In addition al-Qaeda signalled an intention to become involved in Myanmar. In a video released 3 September 2014 mainly addressed to India, the militant group's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said al-Qaeda had not forgotten the Muslims of Myanmar and that the group was doing "what they can to rescue you". In response, the military raised its level of alertness while the Burmese Muslim Association issued a statement saying Muslims would not tolerate any threat to their motherland.

qas: question: What country was Burma involved with in 2015
answers: text: Armed conflict between ethnic Chinese rebels and the Myanmar Armed Forces

question: Were there any refuges that resulted from the Burmese conflict in 2015?
answers: text: The conflict had forced 40,000 to 50,000 civilians to flee their homes and seek shelter

question: What was the government of China accused of during the Kokang offensive ?
answers: text: China was accused of giving military assistance to the ethnic Chinese rebels.

question: Is China an affect on the government in Burma ?
answers: text: Burmese officials have been historically 'manipulated' and pressured by the communist Chinese

question: To what benefit of China has its interest in the Burmese government brought about ?
answers: text: creating a Chinese satellite state in Southeast Asia
context: Armed conflict between ethnic Chinese rebels and the Myanmar Armed Forces have resulted in the Kokang offensive in February 2015. The conflict had forced 40,000 to 50,000 civilians to flee their homes and seek shelter on the Chinese side of the border. During the incident the government of China was accused of giving military assistance to the ethnic Chinese rebels. Burmese officials have been historically 'manipulated' and pressured by the communist Chinese government throughout Burmese modern history to create closer and binding ties with China, creating a Chinese satellite state in Southeast Asia.

qas: question: Where the elections of 2010 conducted fairly in Burma?
answers: text: allegations of polling station irregularities were raised

question: Were the results of the 2010 elections accepted by the United Nations?
answers: text: the United Nations (UN) and a number of Western countries condemned the elections as fraudulent.

question: What is the name that Burma held before 2010? 
answers: text: Union of Myanmar

question: Why was the referendum in 2008 ?
answers: text: the creation of a "discipline-flourishing democracy"
context: The goal of the Burmese constitutional referendum of 2008, held on 10 May 2008, is the creation of a "discipline-flourishing democracy". As part of the referendum process, the name of the country was changed from the "Union of Myanmar" to the "Republic of the Union of Myanmar", and general elections were held under the new constitution in 2010. Observer accounts of the 2010 election describe the event as mostly peaceful; however, allegations of polling station irregularities were raised, and the United Nations (UN) and a number of Western countries condemned the elections as fraudulent.

qas: question: Is Burma now a democratic nation?
answers: text: Opinions differ whether the transition to liberal democracy is underway

question: Does the military still have a government presence in Burma ?
answers: text: the military's presence continues

question: What type of government does Burma operate under ?
answers: text: 'disciplined democracy

question: Does the military presence interfere with the day to day running of the government ?
answers: text: reforms only occurred when the military was able to safeguard its own interests
context: Opinions differ whether the transition to liberal democracy is underway. According to some reports, the military's presence continues as the label 'disciplined democracy' suggests. This label asserts that the Burmese military is allowing certain civil liberties while clandestinely institutionalising itself further into Burmese politics. Such an assertion assumes that reforms only occurred when the military was able to safeguard its own interests through the transition—here, "transition" does not refer to a transition to a liberal democracy, but transition to a quasi-military rule.

qas: question: In what direction is the government of Burma ultimately attempting to go?
answers: text: reforms to direct the country towards liberal democracy

question: What type of economy is Burma attempting to reach?
answers: text: a mixed economy

question: Where was  Aung San Suu Kyi confined during his imprisonment in Burma ?
answers: text: house arrest

question: What happened to the political prisoner being held in Burma ?
answers: text: granting of general amnesties for more than 200 political prisoners

question: Are groups who represent workers allowed to express their opinions in protest in Burma?
answers: text: new labour laws that permit labour unions and strikes
context: Since the 2010 election, the government has embarked on a series of reforms to direct the country towards liberal democracy, a mixed economy, and reconciliation, although doubts persist about the motives that underpin such reforms. The series of reforms includes the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission, the granting of general amnesties for more than 200 political prisoners, new labour laws that permit labour unions and strikes, a relaxation of press censorship, and the regulation of currency practices.

qas: question: Have the changes in Burmese law been of benefit to the country in international views ? 
answers: text: approval of Myanmar's bid for the position of ASEAN chair in 2014; the visit by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

question: Who was the United States Secretary of State who visited Myanmar in 2014?
answers: text: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

question: How long was the interval between the visits from the United States Secretary of State officials ?
answers: text: more than fifty years

question: What political party does Aung San Suu Kyi belong to ?
answers: text: National League for Democracy (NLD) party
context: The impact of the post-election reforms has been observed in numerous areas, including ASEAN's approval of Myanmar's bid for the position of ASEAN chair in 2014; the visit by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in December 2011 for the encouragement of further progress—it was the first visit by a Secretary of State in more than fifty years (Clinton met with the Burmese president and former military commander Thein Sein, as well as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi); and the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party in the 2012 by-elections, facilitated by the government's abolition of the laws that previously barred the NLD. As of July 2013, about 100 political prisoners remain imprisoned, while conflict between the Burmese Army and local insurgent groups continues.

qas: question: Does the political party of Aung San Suu Ky hold any positions among the ruling faction ?
answers: text: 43 of the 45 available seats

question: Are international monitors used in the elections of Burma ?
answers: text: The 2012 by-elections were also the first time that international representatives were allowed to monitor the voting process in Myanmar

question: Who raised concerns of fraud in the elections held in the Burma 2012 elections ?
answers: text: the Freedom House organisation raised concerns

question: Who was expelled from Myanmar before the elections of 2012 and what position did they hold ?
answers: text: Somsri Hananuntasuk, executive director of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)

question: Did all of the political prisoners obtain freedom due to the election in Burma of 2012 ? 
answers: text: some other political prisoners have not been released
context: In 1 April 2012 by-elections the NLD won 43 of the 45 available seats; previously an illegal organisation, the NLD had never won a Burmese election until this time. The 2012 by-elections were also the first time that international representatives were allowed to monitor the voting process in Myanmar. Following announcement of the by-elections, the Freedom House organisation raised concerns about "reports of fraud and harassment in the lead up to elections, including the March 23 deportation of Somsri Hananuntasuk, executive director of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), a regional network of civil society organisations promoting democratization." However, uncertainties exist as some other political prisoners have not been released and clashes between Burmese troops and local insurgent groups continue.

qas: question: What countries surround the border that is opposite the southwest border of Burma?
answers: text: Burma is bordered in the northwest by the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh and the Mizoram

question: What sea is an integral part of the Burma landscape ?
answers: text: Andaman Sea to the southwest and the south, which forms one quarter of its total perimeter.

question: How many miles of uninterrupted coastline does Burma encompass?
answers: text: 1,200 mi

question: What is the name of the bay along the southwest coast of Burma ?
answers: text: Bay of Bengal

question: What region lays along the north border of Burma and is famed for the presence of monks ?
answers: text: the Tibet Autonomous Region
context: Burma is bordered in the northwest by the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh and the Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh states of India. Its north and northeast border is with the Tibet Autonomous Region and Yunnan province for a Sino-Burman border total of 2,185 km (1,358 mi). It is bounded by Laos and Thailand to the southeast. Burma has 1,930 km (1,200 mi) of contiguous coastline along the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea to the southwest and the south, which forms one quarter of its total perimeter.

qas: question: Where does the majority of the Burmese country fall on the globe ?
answers: text: Much of the country lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator

question: How much rain is received in the region where Burma is located ?
answers: text: 5,000 mm (196.9 in) of rain annually

question: What is the expected rainfall in the zone considered to be dry in Burma ?
answers: text: 1,000 mm (39.4 in

question: What is the average temperature of the coldest  part of Burma and where is it located ?
answers: text: The Northern regions of Myanmar are the coolest, with average temperatures of 21 °C (70 °F).

question: How warm does it get at the height of summer along the in the delta and coastal regions of Burma?
answers: text: Coastal and delta regions have an average maximum temperature of 32 °C (89.6 °F).
context: Much of the country lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator. It lies in the monsoon region of Asia, with its coastal regions receiving over 5,000 mm (196.9 in) of rain annually. Annual rainfall in the delta region is approximately 2,500 mm (98.4 in), while average annual rainfall in the Dry Zone in central Myanmar is less than 1,000 mm (39.4 in). The Northern regions of Myanmar are the coolest, with average temperatures of 21 °C (70 °F). Coastal and delta regions have an average maximum temperature of 32 °C (89.6 °F).

qas: question: What industry is supported by animal labor in Burma ?
answers: text: the lumber industry

question: What animals where domesticated in Burma for industry use ?
answers: text: elephants, which are also tamed or bred in captivity for use as work animals

question: What is note worthy about the bird population of Burma ?
answers: text: The abundance of birds is notable with over 800 species

question: What is an important protein source  in the Burmese diet?
answers: text: Hundreds of species of freshwater fish

question: Are large jungle cats part of the animal population of Burma ? 
answers: text: Typical jungle animals, particularly tigers and leopards, occur sparsely in Myanmar
context: Typical jungle animals, particularly tigers and leopards, occur sparsely in Myanmar. In upper Myanmar, there are rhinoceros, wild buffalo, wild boars, deer, antelope, and elephants, which are also tamed or bred in captivity for use as work animals, particularly in the lumber industry. Smaller mammals are also numerous, ranging from gibbons and monkeys to flying foxes and tapirs. The abundance of birds is notable with over 800 species, including parrots, peafowl, pheasants, crows, herons, and paddybirds. Among reptile species there are crocodiles, geckos, cobras, Burmese pythons, and turtles. Hundreds of species of freshwater fish are wide-ranging, plentiful and are very important food sources. For a list of protected areas, see List of protected areas of Myanmar.

qas: question: What was the name of the winning unit in the 2010 elections in Burma ?
answers: text: The elections of 2010 resulted in a victory for the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party

question: Were the elections held in an unbiased manner Burma in 2010 ? 
answers: text: Various foreign observers questioned the fairness of the elections.

question: What were some of the opinions foreign advisers stated about the Burma 2010 elections ?
answers: text: One criticism of the election was that only government sanctioned political parties were allowed to contest in it

question: What was the Burmese official decision concerning the legitimacy of National League for Democracy in 2010 ?
answers: text: the popular National League for Democracy was declared illegal
context: The elections of 2010 resulted in a victory for the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. Various foreign observers questioned the fairness of the elections. One criticism of the election was that only government sanctioned political parties were allowed to contest in it and the popular National League for Democracy was declared illegal. However, immediately following the elections, the government ended the house arrest of the democracy advocate and leader of the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, and her ability to move freely around the country is considered an important test of the military's movement toward more openness. After unexpected reforms in 2011, NLD senior leaders have decided to register as a political party and to field candidates in future by-elections.

qas: question: How have international relations developed due to the recent political changes in Burma ? 
answers: text: relations have thawed since the reforms following the 2010 elections.

question: What did the United States do in response to the reform changes of the 2010 Burma elections ? 
answers: text: the United States relaxed curbs on foreign aid to Myanmar in November 2011 and announced the resumption of diplomatic relations

question: What type of activity has the European Union engaged in in response to the reforms made in Burma ?
answers: text: sanctions on Myanmar, including an arms embargo, cessation of trade preferences, and suspension of all aid with the exception of humanitarian aid.

question: How did the United States treat Myanmar prior to the changes made in Burmese government ? 
answers: text: years of diplomatic isolation and economic and military sanctions
context: Though the country's foreign relations, particularly with Western nations, have been strained, relations have thawed since the reforms following the 2010 elections. After years of diplomatic isolation and economic and military sanctions, the United States relaxed curbs on foreign aid to Myanmar in November 2011 and announced the resumption of diplomatic relations on 13 January 2012 The European Union has placed sanctions on Myanmar, including an arms embargo, cessation of trade preferences, and suspension of all aid with the exception of humanitarian aid.

qas: question: How are international businesses discouraged from operating in Burma?
answers: text: Sanctions imposed by the United States and European countries against the former military government, coupled with boycotts

question: What was the result for internationals companies attempting to conduct business in Burma ? 
answers: text: the withdrawal from the country of most US and many European companies

question: Who called for the sanctions in Burma to be given reprieve ?
answers: text: British Prime Minister David Cameron

question: What did Aung San Suu Kyi become a part of in Burma ?
answers: text: the Burmese parliament
context: Sanctions imposed by the United States and European countries against the former military government, coupled with boycotts and other direct pressure on corporations by supporters of the democracy movement, have resulted in the withdrawal from the country of most US and many European companies. On 13 April 2012 British Prime Minister David Cameron called for the economic sanctions on Myanmar to be suspended in the wake of the pro-democracy party gaining 43 seats out of a possible 45 in the 2012 by-elections with the party leader, Aung San Suu Kyi becoming a member of the Burmese parliament.

qas: question: How do Asian countries feel about the European attitude towards Burma ?
answers: text: Asian corporations have generally remained willing to continue investing in the country and to initiate new investments

question: What is a popular business for international Asian countries in Burma ?
answers: text: natural resource extraction.

question: What two countries does Burma have Superior relationships with ?
answers: text: India and China

question: What is the benefit to the two countries involved in the  India Look East policy ?
answers: text: fields of co-operation between India and Myanmar include remote sensing, oil and gas exploration, information technology, hydro power and construction
context: Despite Western isolation, Asian corporations have generally remained willing to continue investing in the country and to initiate new investments, particularly in natural resource extraction. The country has close relations with neighbouring India and China with several Indian and Chinese companies operating in the country. Under India's Look East policy, fields of co-operation between India and Myanmar include remote sensing, oil and gas exploration, information technology, hydro power and construction of ports and buildings.

qas: question: Why did India stop supporting the military in Myanmar in 2008 ?
answers: text: over the issue of human rights abuses by the ruling junta

question: Did the military sanctions imposed by India affect the business workings of it's relations in Burma ?
answers: text: it has preserved extensive commercial ties

question: Who helped to improve the relations between India and Burma?
answers: text: Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich and his wife Ludmila

question: What city in Burma was visited by the envoy from India 
answers: text: the capital, Naypyidaw
context: In 2008, India suspended military aid to Myanmar over the issue of human rights abuses by the ruling junta, although it has preserved extensive commercial ties, which provide the regime with much-needed revenue. The thaw in relations began on 28 November 2011, when Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich and his wife Ludmila arrived in the capital, Naypyidaw, the same day as the country received a visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who also met with pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. International relations progress indicators continued in September 2012 when Aung San Suu Kyi visited to the US followed by Myanmar's reformist president visit to the United Nations.

qas: question: Who is the first official Burmese delegate to visit the white house following the 2010 elections in Burma ?
answers: text: Thein Sein became the first Myanmar president to visit the White House in 47 years

question: When was the most prior visit from a Burmese representative to the  United States prior to 2010 ? 
answers: text: the last Burmese leader to visit the White House was Ne Win in September 1966

question: Was the visit from the Burmese delegate welcome in the United States in 2010?
answers: text: Political activists objected to the visit due to concerns over human rights abuses in Myanmar

question: Did the visit to the United States result in the release of political prisoners in Burma ? 
answers: text: leaders discussed to release more political prisoners

question: What agreements were made in the visit to the United States by the Burmese in the 21 century ?
answers: text: to sign a bilateral trade and investment framework agreement on 21 May 2013.
context: In May 2013, Thein Sein became the first Myanmar president to visit the White House in 47 years; the last Burmese leader to visit the White House was Ne Win in September 1966. President Barack Obama praised the former general for political and economic reforms, and the cessation of tensions between Myanmar and the United States. Political activists objected to the visit due to concerns over human rights abuses in Myanmar but Obama assured Thein Sein that Myanmar will receive US support. The two leaders discussed to release more political prisoners, the institutionalisation of political reform and rule of law, and ending ethnic conflict in Myanmar—the two governments agreed to sign a bilateral trade and investment framework agreement on 21 May 2013.

qas: question: What country has provided Burma with the most military aid ?
answers: text: Myanmar has received extensive military aid from China

question: How long has Burma participated in the group ASEAN ?
answers: text: Myanmar has been a member of ASEAN since 1997

question: What year was Myanmar the host for the ASEAN conference?
answers: text: hosted the summit in 2014

question: What event caused tension between Burma and Bangladesh in 2008 ?
answers: text: natural gas in a disputed block of the Bay of Bengal
context: Myanmar has received extensive military aid from China in the past Myanmar has been a member of ASEAN since 1997. Though it gave up its turn to hold the ASEAN chair and host the ASEAN Summit in 2006, it chaired the forum and hosted the summit in 2014. In November 2008, Myanmar's political situation with neighbouring Bangladesh became tense as they began searching for natural gas in a disputed block of the Bay of Bengal. Controversy surrounding the Rohingya population also remains an issue between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

qas: question: What is the name of the military in Burma ?
answers: text: Tatmadaw

question: How large is the military of Burma ? 
answers: text: numbers 488,000

question: Which traditional branches of the military does Burma have?
answers: text: Army, the Navy, and the Air Force

question: What ranking does Burma hold for the number of troops currently serving on active military duty ?
answers: text: The country ranked twelfth in the world for its number of active troops in service.

question: From where does Burma receive most of its military artillery ?
answers: text: Myanmar imports most of its weapons from Russia, Ukraine, China and India.
context: Myanmar's armed forces are known as the Tatmadaw, which numbers 488,000. The Tatmadaw comprises the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. The country ranked twelfth in the world for its number of active troops in service. The military is very influential in Myanmar, with all top cabinet and ministry posts usually held by military officials. Official figures for military spending are not available. Estimates vary widely because of uncertain exchange rates, but Myanmar's military forces' expenses are high. Myanmar imports most of its weapons from Russia, Ukraine, China and India.

qas: question: What did the United adopt in reference to Burma annually until 2005 ?
answers: text: Until 2005, the United Nations General Assembly annually adopted a detailed resolution about the situation in Myanmar by consensus.

question: What occurred in the United Nations general convening in 2006 ?
answers: text: voted through a resolution that strongly called upon the government of Myanmar to end its systematic violations of human rights.

question: What did China and Russia both do in 2008 ?
answers: text: vetoed a draft resolution before the United Nations Security Council calling on the government of Myanmar

question: What other countries were in disagreement with the United Nations decision on Burma ?
answers: text: South Africa
context: Until 2005, the United Nations General Assembly annually adopted a detailed resolution about the situation in Myanmar by consensus. But in 2006 a divided United Nations General Assembly voted through a resolution that strongly called upon the government of Myanmar to end its systematic violations of human rights. In January 2007, Russia and China vetoed a draft resolution before the United Nations Security Council calling on the government of Myanmar to respect human rights and begin a democratic transition. South Africa also voted against the resolution.

qas: question: What is the general view of Burma ?
answers: text: military regime in Myanmar is one of the world's most repressive and abusive regimes

question: Who is Samantha Power?
answers: text: Barack Obama's Special Assistant to the President on Human Rights

question: What did Ms Powers write concerning Burma ?
answers: text: "Serious human rights abuses against civilians in several regions continue, including against women and children
context: There is consensus that the military regime in Myanmar is one of the world's most repressive and abusive regimes. In November 2012, Samantha Power, Barack Obama's Special Assistant to the President on Human Rights, wrote on the White House blog in advance of the president's visit that "Serious human rights abuses against civilians in several regions continue, including against women and children." Members of the United Nations and major international human rights organisations have issued repeated and consistent reports of widespread and systematic human rights violations in Myanmar. The United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly called on the Burmese Military Junta to respect human rights and in November 2009 the General Assembly adopted a resolution "strongly condemning the ongoing systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms" and calling on the Burmese Military Regime "to take urgent measures to put an end to violations of international human rights and humanitarian law."

qas: question: What are the names of some of the  human right organizations that have been involved in Burmese relations. 
answers: text: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the American Association for the Advancement of Science

question: In 2011 what did the group Freedom House say concerning the Burma military?
answers: text: The military junta has ... suppressed nearly all basic rights; and committed human rights abuses with impunity

question: How many prisoners are still held in Burma on political crimes?
answers: text: In July 2013, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners indicated that there were approximately 100 political prisoners being held
context: International human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the American Association for the Advancement of Science have repeatedly documented and condemned widespread human rights violations in Myanmar. The Freedom in the World 2011 report by Freedom House notes, "The military junta has ... suppressed nearly all basic rights; and committed human rights abuses with impunity." In July 2013, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners indicated that there were approximately 100 political prisoners being held in Burmese prisons.

qas: question: How are children used in the conflicts in Burma?
answers: text: Child soldiers have and continue to play a major part in the Burmese Army as well as Burmese rebel movements.

question: How are children obtained for use as solders in Burma ? 
answers: text: Children are being sold as conscripts into the Burmese military for as little as $40 and a bag of rice or a can of petrol

question: How many child solders were released from the Burmese military in 2012 ?
answers: text: the Myanmar Armed Forces released 42 child soldiers
context: Child soldiers have and continue to play a major part in the Burmese Army as well as Burmese rebel movements. The Independent reported in June 2012 that "Children are being sold as conscripts into the Burmese military for as little as $40 and a bag of rice or a can of petrol." The UN's Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, who stepped down from her position a week later, met representatives of the Government of Myanmar on 5 July 2012 and stated that she hoped the government's signing of an action plan would "signal a transformation." In September 2012, the Myanmar Armed Forces released 42 child soldiers and the International Labour Organization met with representatives of the government as well as the Kachin Independence Army to secure the release of more child soldiers. According to Samantha Power, a US delegation raised the issue of child soldiers with the government in October 2012. However, she did not comment on the government's progress towards reform in this area.

qas: question: What section of the Burmese population is routinely discriminated against ?
answers: text: The Rohingya people

question: When was the citizenship laws placed into effect in Burma ?
answers: text: 1982

question: How does one become a full citizen in Burma ?
answers: text: Citizenship is given to those who belong to one of the national races

question: What races are considered for full citizenship in Burma?
answers: text: national races such as Kachin, Kayah (Karenni), Karen, Chin, Burman, Mon, Rakhine, Shan, Kaman, or Zerbadee

question: What happens if one is not able to prove ancestral claim on full citizenship ?
answers: text: Associate citizenship is given to those who cannot prove their ancestors settled in Myanmar before 1823

question: When did the Rohingya lose citizenship rights in Burma?
answers: text: the Rohingya have been denied Burmese citizenship since the enactment of a 1982 citizenship law

question: How is the decision made on who gets full citizenship rights in Burma?
answers: text: Citizenship is given to those who belong to one of the national races

question: What races are considered to be the of the the national races in Burma ? 
answers: text: national races such as Kachin, Kayah (Karenni), Karen, Chin, Burman, Mon, Rakhine, Shan, Kaman, or Zerbadee.

question: How can one prove their race in Burma ?
answers: text: prove their ancestors settled in Myanmar before 1823

question: How many of the  Rohingya people have new changes in citizenship caused to become refugees ? 
answers: text: expulsion of approximately half of the 800,000 Rohingya from Burma,
context: The Rohingya people have consistently faced human rights abuses by the Burmese regime that has refused to acknowledge them as Burmese citizens (despite some of them having lived in Burma for over three generations)—the Rohingya have been denied Burmese citizenship since the enactment of a 1982 citizenship law. The law created three categories of citizenship: citizenship, associate citizenship, and naturalised citizenship. Citizenship is given to those who belong to one of the national races such as Kachin, Kayah (Karenni), Karen, Chin, Burman, Mon, Rakhine, Shan, Kaman, or Zerbadee. Associate citizenship is given to those who cannot prove their ancestors settled in Myanmar before 1823, but can prove they have one grandparent, or pre-1823 ancestor, who was a citizen of another country, as well as people who applied for citizenship in 1948 and qualified then by those laws. Naturalized citizenship is only given to those who have at least one parent with one of these types of Burmese citizenship or can provide "conclusive evidence" that their parents entered and resided in Burma prior to independence in 1948. The Burmese regime has attempted to forcibly expel Rohingya and bring in non-Rohingyas to replace them—this policy has resulted in the expulsion of approximately half of the 800,000 Rohingya from Burma, while the Rohingya people have been described as "among the world's least wanted" and "one of the world's most persecuted minorities." But the origin of ‘most persecuted minority’ statement is unclear.

qas: question: What is believed to be one of the potential religious instigators for the stiff in Burma against a certain race ?
answers: text: suggested that the Rohingya conflict may be driven by an Islamist political agenda to impose religious laws

question: Who occupied Burma during the Second World War ?
answers: text: the Japanese

question: What system of militaristic management exists in Burma?
answers: text: the Tatmadaw

question: What may have caused negative feeling to still linger among the different races of the Burmese people ?
answers: text: lingering resentment over the violence that occurred during the Japanese occupation

question: Who did the British choose to back in Burma during WWII ?
answers: text: British allied themselves with the Rohingya
context: In 2007 the German professor Bassam Tibi suggested that the Rohingya conflict may be driven by an Islamist political agenda to impose religious laws, while non-religious causes have also been raised, such as a lingering resentment over the violence that occurred during the Japanese occupation of Burma in World War II—during this time period the British allied themselves with the Rohingya and fought against the puppet government of Burma (composed mostly of Bamar Japanese) that helped to establish the Tatmadaw military organisation that remains in power as of March 2013.

qas: question: Has the violence in Burma decreased over the years as the country has tried made democratic strides ?
answers: text: Since the democratic transition began in 2011, there has been continuous violence as 280 people have been killed and 140,000 forced to flee

question: Are the separate religious factions in Burma able to peacefully coexist ?
answers: text: unrest had re-emerged between Myanmar's Buddhist and Muslim communities, with violence

question: What news company  discovered visual evidence of the disdain exhibited by civil employees and civilians in Burma ?
answers: text: BBC News media outlet obtained video footage of a man with severe burns who received no assistance from passers-by or police officers

question: Who recorded the visual evidence on the disdainful incident?
answers: text: footage was filmed by members of the Burmese police force in the town of Meiktila

question: Who was the videotape used as evidence against in Burma ?
answers: text: used as evidence that Buddhists continued to kill Muslims after the European Union sanctions were lifted on 23 April 2013.
context: Since the democratic transition began in 2011, there has been continuous violence as 280 people have been killed and 140,000 forced to flee from their homes in the Rakhine state. A UN envoy reported in March 2013 that unrest had re-emerged between Myanmar's Buddhist and Muslim communities, with violence spreading to towns that are located closer to Yangon. The BBC News media outlet obtained video footage of a man with severe burns who received no assistance from passers-by or police officers even though he was lying on the ground in a public area. The footage was filmed by members of the Burmese police force in the town of Meiktila and was used as evidence that Buddhists continued to kill Muslims after the European Union sanctions were lifted on 23 April 2013.

qas: question: What was believed to be one of the Burma reasons for the unrest in 2012 ?
answers: text: many commentators citing the killing of ten Burmese Muslims by ethnic Rakhine

question: How many are believed to have been uprooted by this unrest ?
answers: text: It displaced more than 52,000 people

question: Who is the president of the BROUK's UK division?
answers: text: Tun Khin

question: How many people where missing after the 2012 Burma civil unrest ?
answers: text: 1,200 are missing
context: The immediate cause of the riots is unclear, with many commentators citing the killing of ten Burmese Muslims by ethnic Rakhine after the rape and murder of a Rakhine woman as the main cause. Whole villages have been "decimated". Over 300 houses and a number of public buildings have been razed. According to Tun Khin, the president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK), as of 28 June 2012, 650 Rohingyas have been killed, 1,200 are missing, and more than 80,000 have been displaced. According to the Myanmar authorities, the violence, between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, left 78 people dead, 87 injured, and thousands of homes destroyed. It displaced more than 52,000 people.

qas: question: How did the Burmese government respond to the unrest in 2012 ?
answers: text: The government has responded by imposing curfews and by deploying troops in the regions

question: What happened in Rakhine in the summer of 2012 that had severe implications on the running of the location?
answers: text: On 10 June 2012, a state of emergency was declared in Rakhine, allowing the military to participate in administration of the region

question: What have the military and law enforcement been denounced for in the matter of  summer of 2012 ?
answers: text: The Burmese army and police have been accused of targeting Rohingya Muslims through mass arrests and arbitrary violence

question: How have the friar organizations contributed to the struggle in Burma?
answers: text: monks' organisations that played a vital role in Myanmar's struggle for democracy have taken measures to block any humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya
context: The government has responded by imposing curfews and by deploying troops in the regions. On 10 June 2012, a state of emergency was declared in Rakhine, allowing the military to participate in administration of the region. The Burmese army and police have been accused of targeting Rohingya Muslims through mass arrests and arbitrary violence. A number of monks' organisations that played a vital role in Myanmar's struggle for democracy have taken measures to block any humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya community.

qas: question: Have there been any changes to restrictions placed on the communications networks in Burma ?
answers: text: Restrictions on media censorship were significantly eased in August 2012

question: If communications restrictions have changed how so?
answers: text: The most significant change has come in the form that media organisations will no longer have to submit their content to a censorship board before publication.

question: What is the name of the newspaper that was banished from Burma?
answers: text: The Irrawaddy

question: What is required of commentators before publishing or airing content ?
answers: text: journalists "are required to follow 16 guidelines towards protecting the three national causes

question: What did demonstrators wear during the media rally?
answers: text: wore shirts demanding that the government "Stop Killing the Press.
context: Restrictions on media censorship were significantly eased in August 2012 following demonstrations by hundreds of protesters who wore shirts demanding that the government "Stop Killing the Press." The most significant change has come in the form that media organisations will no longer have to submit their content to a censorship board before publication. However, as explained by one editorial in the exiled press The Irrawaddy, this new "freedom" has caused some Burmese journalists to simply see the new law as an attempt to create an environment of self-censorship as journalists "are required to follow 16 guidelines towards protecting the three national causes — non-disintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of national solidarity, perpetuation of sovereignty — and "journalistic ethics" to ensure their stories are accurate and do not jeopardise national security." In July 2014 five journalists were sentenced to 10 years in jail after publishing a report saying the country was planning to build a new chemical weapons plant. Journalists described the jailings as a blow to the recently-won news media freedoms that had followed five decades of censorship and persecution.

qas: question: What is the name of the individuals who gave relevant information on the recent events in Burma ?
answers: text: the Crisis Group

question: Have there been any advances in the human rights situation in Myanmar?
answers: text: the country's human rights record has been improving

question: What is the current rating of for Burma from the  Freedom in the World report and what caused the current standing ?
answers: text: Myanmar improved yet again, receiving a score of five in civil liberties and a six in political freedom

question: What was the previous rating for Burma?
answers: text: lowest rating of 7

question: What caused Myanmar to receive a rating of 6?
answers: text: improvements in civil liberties and political rights, the release of political prisoners, and a loosening of restrictions.
context: According to the Crisis Group, since Myanmar transitioned to a new government in August 2011, the country's human rights record has been improving. Previously giving Myanmar its lowest rating of 7, the 2012 Freedom in the World report also notes improvement, giving Myanmar a 6 for improvements in civil liberties and political rights, the release of political prisoners, and a loosening of restrictions. In 2013, Myanmar improved yet again, receiving a score of five in civil liberties and a six in political freedoms

qas: question: What did the government bring together ?
answers: text: National Human Rights Commission

question: Once the decision was made to bring the group together who was it comprised of ?
answers: text: consists of 15 members from various backgrounds

question: Has the joining brought about any changes in the region ?
answers: text: invitation to expatriates to return home to work for national development.

question: Who extended the offer to the activists ?
answers: text: President Thein Sein

question: Who addressed the United nations on Myanmar's behalf in the fall 2011 ?
answers: text: Myanmar's Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin
context: The government has assembled a National Human Rights Commission that consists of 15 members from various backgrounds. Several activists in exile, including Thee Lay Thee Anyeint members, have returned to Myanmar after President Thein Sein's invitation to expatriates to return home to work for national development. In an address to the United Nations Security Council on 22 September 2011, Myanmar's Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin confirmed the government's intention to release prisoners in the near future.

qas: question: Has the government of Myanmar made life any easier for it's inhabitants ?
answers: text: has also relaxed reporting laws, but these remain highly restrictive.

question: Does the government allow access to any desired  media channels for residents ?
answers: text: several banned websites, including YouTube, Democratic Voice of Burma and Voice of America, were unblocked.

question: Are there any groups who are able to effectively operate in Burma ?
answers: text: international humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

question: Why are groups hesitant to work with government officials ?
answers: text: ethical quandary of how to work with the government without bolstering or appeasing it.
context: The government has also relaxed reporting laws, but these remain highly restrictive. In September 2011, several banned websites, including YouTube, Democratic Voice of Burma and Voice of America, were unblocked. A 2011 report by the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations found that, while contact with the Myanmar government was constrained by donor restrictions, international humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) see opportunities for effective advocacy with government officials, especially at the local level. At the same time, international NGOs are mindful of the ethical quandary of how to work with the government without bolstering or appeasing it.

qas: question: What official was the first to visit the grounds of Great Britain from Burma?
answers: text: Thein Sein

question: Who did the official from Myanmar meet with ?
answers: text: Prime Minister David Cameron,

question: What was the outcome of the meeting ?
answers: text: Myanmar president declared that all of his nation's political prisoners will be released by the end of 2013

question: Where did the official make his announcement of the meetings outcome ?
answers: text: at Chatham House

question: What would the official like to see happen between the two countries ?
answers: text: a desire to strengthen links between the UK and Myanmar's military forces
context: Following Thein Sein's first ever visit to the UK and a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron, the Myanmar president declared that all of his nation's political prisoners will be released by the end of 2013, in addition to a statement of support for the well-being of the Rohingya Muslim community. In a speech at Chatham House, he revealed that "We [Myanmar government] are reviewing all cases. I guarantee to you that by the end of this year, there will be no prisoners of conscience in Myanmar.", in addition to expressing a desire to strengthen links between the UK and Myanmar's military forces.

qas: question: In terms of finance, when being ruled by the English, where did Burma stand ?
answers: text: Under British administration, Myanmar was the second-wealthiest country in South-East Asia.

question: What was Burma's greatest export during that time of English rule ?
answers: text: rice

question: What did Myanmar do that made it know to be one of the originals in a particular finance producing endeavor ?
answers: text: Burma began exporting crude oil in 1853, making it one of the earliest petroleum producers in the world.

question: What wood product was produced primarily in Myanmar during British rule ?
answers: text: 75% of the world's teak

question: What notable quality made Burma stand out from other South East Asian countries ?
answers: text: a highly literate population
context: Under British administration, Myanmar was the second-wealthiest country in South-East Asia. It had been the world's largest exporter of rice. Myanmar also had a wealth of natural and labour resources. British Burma began exporting crude oil in 1853, making it one of the earliest petroleum producers in the world. It produced 75% of the world's teak and had a highly literate population. The wealth was however, mainly concentrated in the hands of Europeans. In 1930s, agricultural production fell dramatically as international rice prices declined, and did not recover for several decades.

qas: question: How did world war two affect Burmese business and economy ?
answers: text: British destroyed the major government buildings, oil wells and mines for tungsten, tin, lead and silver to keep them from the Japanese.

question: How was the Burma framework affected by WWII ?
answers: text: the country was in ruins with its major infrastructure completely destroyed.

question: What lead to the architectural changes in Myanmar ?
answers: text: bombed extensively

question: Who was credited with changes that occurred to the interior due to the war's effects ?
answers: text: bombed extensively by both sides

question: When was Myanmar given sovereignty to rule it's own nation ?
answers: text: 1948, Prime Minister U Nu embarked upon a policy of nationalisation and the state was declared the owner of all land.
context: During World War II, the British destroyed the major government buildings, oil wells and mines for tungsten, tin, lead and silver to keep them from the Japanese. Myanmar was bombed extensively by both sides. After independence, the country was in ruins with its major infrastructure completely destroyed. After a parliamentary government was formed in 1948, Prime Minister U Nu embarked upon a policy of nationalisation and the state was declared the owner of all land. The government also tried to implement a poorly considered Eight-Year plan. By the 1950s, rice exports had fallen by two thirds and mineral exports by over 96% (as compared to the pre-World War II period). Plans were partly financed by printing money, which led to inflation.

qas: question: What is the major farming production crop in Burma? 
answers: text: rice

question: What percentage of  the countries's farm-able land is used for the major farming production crop in Burma? 
answers: text: 60%

question: What category does the major farming production crop in Burma fall into ? 
answers: text: food grain production

question: How is production in the category tallied ?
answers: text: by weight

question: How many novel types of this crop did Burma develop as of 1997 ?
answers: text: 52 modern rice varieties
context: The major agricultural product is rice, which covers about 60% of the country's total cultivated land area. Rice accounts for 97% of total food grain production by weight. Through collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute 52 modern rice varieties were released in the country between 1966 and 1997, helping increase national rice production to 14 million tons in 1987 and to 19 million tons in 1996. By 1988, modern varieties were planted on half of the country's ricelands, including 98 percent of the irrigated areas. In 2008 rice production was estimated at 50 million tons.

qas: question: What is the difficulty with expanding the gem business in Burma ?
answers: text: US and European jewellery companies, including Bulgari, Tiffany, and Cartier, refuse to import these stones based

question: Why is Burma experiencing this problem with the gems industry  ?
answers: text: reports of deplorable working conditions in the mines.

question: Who gave information on the gem industries in Burma ?
answers: text: Human Rights Watch

question: What did the group advised based on the information's results ?
answers: text: encouraged a complete ban on the purchase of Burmese gems based

question: Who receives the majority of financial benefits from the gem mining ? 
answers: text: the ruling junta
context: Many US and European jewellery companies, including Bulgari, Tiffany, and Cartier, refuse to import these stones based on reports of deplorable working conditions in the mines. Human Rights Watch has encouraged a complete ban on the purchase of Burmese gems based on these reports and because nearly all profits go to the ruling junta, as the majority of mining activity in the country is government-run. The government of Myanmar controls the gem trade by direct ownership or by joint ventures with private owners of mines.

qas: question: Name two of the metropolitan areas that are enjoyed most frequently by tourist in Myanmar  ?
answers: text: Yangon and Mandalay

question: What are two of the top spiritual destination that Myanmar offers ?
answers: text: Mon State, Pindaya, Bago and Hpa-An

question: Does Myanmar offer any destinations  that might be good for outside enthusiasts ?
answers: text: nature trails in Inle Lake, Kengtung, Putao, Pyin Oo Lwin

question: Are there any edifice points of interest that may be of note to visitors of Burma?
answers: text: ancient cities such as Bagan and Mrauk-U; as well as beaches in Nabule, Ngapali, Ngwe-Saung, Mergui.

question: Can visitors travel unrestricted through the country ?
answers: text: much of the country is off-limits to tourists
context: The most popular available tourist destinations in Myanmar include big cities such as Yangon and Mandalay; religious sites in Mon State, Pindaya, Bago and Hpa-An; nature trails in Inle Lake, Kengtung, Putao, Pyin Oo Lwin; ancient cities such as Bagan and Mrauk-U; as well as beaches in Nabule, Ngapali, Ngwe-Saung, Mergui. Nevertheless, much of the country is off-limits to tourists, and interactions between foreigners and the people of Myanmar, particularly in the border regions, are subject to police scrutiny. They are not to discuss politics with foreigners, under penalty of imprisonment and, in 2001, the Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board issued an order for local officials to protect tourists and limit "unnecessary contact" between foreigners and ordinary Burmese people.

qas: question: How are most visitors ushered into the city of Myanmar ?
answers: text: by air

question: Is Myanmar convenient to other countries in South East Asia ? 
answers: text: No bus or train service connects Myanmar with another country, nor can you travel by car or motorcycle across the border – you must walk across

question: Are there any cruise travel destinations for Myanmar ?
answers: text: It is not possible for foreigners to go to/from Myanmar by sea or river.

question: How long have bus tours been available to tourist of Myanmar ?
answers: text: one tourist company has successfully run commercial overland routes through these borders since 2013.

question: How far are the people from Taiwan ,but not actually citizens of Taiwan, allowed to venture into the Myanmar territory ?
answers: text: Those in Thailand on a visa run can cross to Kawthaung but cannot venture farther into Myanmar
context: The most common way for travellers to enter the country seems to be by air. According to the website Lonely Planet, getting into Myanmar is problematic: "No bus or train service connects Myanmar with another country, nor can you travel by car or motorcycle across the border – you must walk across.", and states that, "It is not possible for foreigners to go to/from Myanmar by sea or river." There are a small number of border crossings that allow the passage of private vehicles, such as the border between Ruili (China) to Mu-se, the border between Htee Kee (Myanmar) and Ban Phu Nam Ron (Thailand) (the most direct border between Dawei and Kanchanaburi), and the border between Myawaddy (Myanmar) and Mae Sot (Thailand). At least one tourist company has successfully run commercial overland routes through these borders since 2013. "From Mae Sai (Thailand) you can cross to Tachileik, but can only go as far as Kengtung. Those in Thailand on a visa run can cross to Kawthaung but cannot venture farther into Myanmar."

qas: question: Can one travel by plane from any country in Myanmar ?
answers: text: Flights are available from most countries

question: Is there anyway to decrease travel time in getting to Myanmar ?
answers: text: direct flights are limited to mainly Thai and other ASEAN airlines

question: Has the travel industry considered making changes to fight plans for Myanmar ?
answers: text: 5 international airlines and increasing numbers of airlines have began launching direct flights from Japan, Qatar, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany and Singapore.

question: What airlines travel to Myanmar that currently has development plans towards expanding ? 
answers: text: Thailand-based Nok Air and Business Airlines and Singapore-based Tiger Airline".
context: Flights are available from most countries, though direct flights are limited to mainly Thai and other ASEAN airlines. According to Eleven magazine, "In the past, there were only 15 international airlines and increasing numbers of airlines have began launching direct flights from Japan, Qatar, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany and Singapore." Expansions were expected in September 2013, but yet again are mainly Thai and other Asian-based airlines according to Eleven Media Group's Eleven, "Thailand-based Nok Air and Business Airlines and Singapore-based Tiger Airline".

qas: question: What occurred in the winter of 2014 of significance for Myanmar ?
answers: text: December 2014, Myanmar signed an agreement to set up its first stock exchange

question: What is the name of the business that first rang a bell to begin in the winter of 2014 in Myanmar ?
answers: text: Yangon Stock Exchange Joint Venture Co. Ltd

question: W is set to to be the major stock holder of the business that first rang a bell to begin in the winter of 2014 in Myanmar ?
answers: text: Myanma Economic Bank sharing 51 percent

question: Did other countries actively participate in business that first rang a bell to begin in the winter of 2014 in Myanmar ?
answers: text: Japan's Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd 30.25 percent and Japan Exchange Group 18.75 percent.

question: What day did the business that first rang a bell to begin in the winter of 2014 in Myanmar open its doors to customers?
answers: text: Yangon Stock Exchange (YSX) officially opened for business on Friday, March 25, 2016.
context: In December 2014, Myanmar signed an agreement to set up its first stock exchange. The Yangon Stock Exchange Joint Venture Co. Ltd will be set up with Myanma Economic Bank sharing 51 percent, Japan's Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd 30.25 percent and Japan Exchange Group 18.75 percent. The Yangon Stock Exchange (YSX) officially opened for business on Friday, March 25, 2016. First Myanmar Investment Co., Ltd. (FMI) became the first stock to be traded after receiving approval for an opening price of 26,000 kyats ($22).

qas: question: How many are estimated people live in Burma officially?
answers: text: provisional results of the 2014 Myanmar Census show that the total population is 51,419,420

question: Who may have been left out of the 2014 census in Burma ?
answers: text: an estimated 1,206,353 persons in parts of northern Rakhine State, Kachin State and Kayin State who were not counted.

question: How many people in Burma are currently using a work visa for Thailand?
answers: text: 600,000 registered migrant workers from Myanmar in Thailand

question: How many of the Burmese  people are predicted to work in Thailand without authorization 
answers: text: millions more work illegally

question: What percentage of emigrant workers in Thailand that are from Myanmar ?
answers: text: 80% of Thailand's migrant workers
context: The provisional results of the 2014 Myanmar Census show that the total population is 51,419,420. This figure includes an estimated 1,206,353 persons in parts of northern Rakhine State, Kachin State and Kayin State who were not counted. People who were out of the country at the time of the census are not included in these figures. There are over 600,000 registered migrant workers from Myanmar in Thailand, and millions more work illegally. Burmese migrant workers account for 80% of Thailand's migrant workers. Population density is 76 per square kilometre (200/sq mi), among the lowest in Southeast Asia.

qas: question: What is the largest percentage of  the Burmese populace ?
answers: text: Bamar form an estimated 68% of the population

question: What is the smallest percentage of the Burmese populace ?
answers: text: Overseas Chinese form approximately 3% of the population

question: What is the preferential term for those in Burma that are not a part of the racial majority ?
answers: text: ethnic nationality

question: What does the term Burmanisation make people feel ?
answers: text: the proliferation and domination of the dominant Bamar culture over minority cultures.

question: What percentage of the population is of the  Rakhine descendant line ?
answers: text: Rakhine people constitute 4% of the population
context: The Bamar form an estimated 68% of the population. 10% of the population are Shan. The Kayin make up 7% of the population. The Rakhine people constitute 4% of the population. Overseas Chinese form approximately 3% of the population. Myanmar's ethnic minority groups prefer the term "ethnic nationality" over "ethnic minority" as the term "minority" furthers their sense of insecurity in the face of what is often described as "Burmanisation"—the proliferation and domination of the dominant Bamar culture over minority cultures.

qas: question: What percentage of people in Burma are related by linguistically lines to the Khmer. 
answers: text: 2% of the population, are ethno-linguistically related to the Khmer

question: Which community previously held a persuasive authority on the Burmese population?
answers: text: Anglo-Burmese

question: When did a mass migration of the community that  previously held a persuasive authority on the Burmese population start?
answers: text: 1958 onwards

question: Where did the majority of these people end up after Burma ?
answers: text: principally to Australia and the UK
context: Mon, who form 2% of the population, are ethno-linguistically related to the Khmer. Overseas Indians are 2%. The remainder are Kachin, Chin, Rohingya, Anglo-Indians, Gurkha, Nepali and other ethnic minorities. Included in this group are the Anglo-Burmese. Once forming a large and influential community, the Anglo-Burmese left the country in steady streams from 1958 onwards, principally to Australia and the UK. It is estimated that 52,000 Anglo-Burmese remain in Myanmar. As of 2009[update], 110,000 Burmese refugees were living in refugee camps in Thailand.

qas: question: What are the four categories for the most prolific dialects used in Burma ?
answers: text: Sino-Tibetan, Tai–Kadai, Austro-Asiatic, and Indo-European.

question: What are the primary languages of Europe that are used in Burma ?
answers: text: Pali, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism, and English

question: How many different types of dictionaries could you potentially need to cover all the languages spoken in Myanmar 
answers: text: there are more than 130 languages spoken by people in Myanmar

question: Are the languages of Myanmar widely used by other nations  ?
answers: text: many of them are known only within small tribes around the country

question: What is the preferred lingo for the Tai–Kadai language?
answers: text: The primary Tai–Kadai language is Shan
context: Myanmar is home to four major language families: Sino-Tibetan, Tai–Kadai, Austro-Asiatic, and Indo-European. Sino-Tibetan languages are most widely spoken. They include Burmese, Karen, Kachin, Chin, and Chinese (mainly Hokkien). The primary Tai–Kadai language is Shan. Mon, Palaung, and Wa are the major Austroasiatic languages spoken in Myanmar. The two major Indo-European languages are Pali, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism, and English. Little known fact about Myanmar is there are more than 130 languages spoken by people in Myanmar. Since many of them are known only within small tribes around the country, they may have been lost (many if not all) after a few generations.

qas: question: What is the matriarchal brogue of Burma that became the countries' standard vernacular ?
answers: text: Burmese

question: Which two vernaculars hold relation to the official language?
answers: text: Tibetan and Chinese language

question: How is the recognized official language of Burma displayed ? 
answers: text: It is written in a script consisting of circular and semi-circular letters

question: On what is the visual display of the language a subset of  ? 
answers: text: the Mon script, which in turn was developed from a southern Indian script in the 5th century

question: From when are the  first impressions of the visually displayed language ?
answers: text: The earliest known inscriptions in the Burmese script date from the 11th century.
context: Burmese, the mother tongue of the Bamar and official language of Myanmar, is related to Tibetan and Chinese language. It is written in a script consisting of circular and semi-circular letters, which were adapted from the Mon script, which in turn was developed from a southern Indian script in the 5th century. The earliest known inscriptions in the Burmese script date from the 11th century. It is also used to write Pali, the sacred language of Theravada Buddhism, as well as several ethnic minority languages, including Shan, several Karen dialects, and Kayah (Karenni), with the addition of specialised characters and diacritics for each language.

qas: question: Does Burma have more than one religion ?
answers: text: Many religions are practised in Myanmar

question: Are public displays allowed for the celebration of religion in Myanmar ?
answers: text: Festivals can be held on a grand scale.

question: Are all welcomed to practice faith openly in Burma 
answers: text: Christian and Muslim populations do, however, face religious persecution

question: Can anyone in Burma Join the military forces in Burma ?
answers: text: it is hard, if not impossible, for non-Buddhists to join the army

question: What are the best routes for career achievement in Burma ?
answers: text: join the army or get government jobs, the main route to success in the country.
context: Many religions are practised in Myanmar. Religious edifices and orders have been in existence for many years. Festivals can be held on a grand scale. The Christian and Muslim populations do, however, face religious persecution and it is hard, if not impossible, for non-Buddhists to join the army or get government jobs, the main route to success in the country. Such persecution and targeting of civilians is particularly notable in Eastern Myanmar, where over 3000 villages have been destroyed in the past ten years. More than 200,000 Muslims have fled to Bangladesh over the last 20 years to escape Islamophobic persecution.

qas: question: What part of the populace does not  identify with conformists religious  majority?
answers: text: 7% of the population identifies as Christian; 4% as Muslim; 1% follows traditional animistic beliefs; and 2% follow other religions

question: Are these percentages an accurate estimate of nonconformists religious  groups ?
answers: text: international religious freedom report, official statistics are alleged to underestimate the non-Buddhist population.

question: How many dwelling are dedicated to the worship of the faith Jehovah's Witnesses ?
answers: text: 80 congregations around the country and a branch office in Yangon

question: How many dialects are the publications distributed by the Jehovah Witness available in ?
answers: text: 16 languages

question: What problem presented itself to the Jewish locale in Rangoon ?
answers: text: a synagogue but no resident rabbi to conduct services
context: According to Pew Research, 7% of the population identifies as Christian; 4% as Muslim; 1% follows traditional animistic beliefs; and 2% follow other religions, including Mahayana Buddhism, Hinduism, and East Asian religions. However, according to a US State Department's 2010 international religious freedom report, official statistics are alleged to underestimate the non-Buddhist population. Independent researchers put the Muslim population at 6 to 10% of the population[citation needed]. Jehovah's Witnesses have been present since 1914 and have about 80 congregations around the country and a branch office in Yangon publishing in 16 languages. A tiny Jewish community in Rangoon had a synagogue but no resident rabbi to conduct services.

qas: question: Who runs the school system in Myanmar ?
answers: text: the Ministry of Education

question: What country is Burma to credit for its academic system ?
answers: text: United Kingdom's

question: Why is this country so influential to the Burma academics ?
answers: text: due to nearly a century of British and Christian presences in Myanmar.

question: Are there any alternatives to the public school system in Burma ?
answers: text: privately funded English language schoo

question: Are children required to go to school or can they choose to stay at home and work ?
answers: text: Schooling is compulsory until the end of elementary school
context: The educational system of Myanmar is operated by the government agency, the Ministry of Education. The education system is based on the United Kingdom's system due to nearly a century of British and Christian presences in Myanmar. Nearly all schools are government-operated, but there has been a recent increase in privately funded English language schools. Schooling is compulsory until the end of elementary school, approximately about 9 years old, while the compulsory schooling age is 15 or 16 at international level.

qas: question: What are the pervasive culture that is sanctioned in Burma ?
answers: text: the majority culture is primarily Buddhist and Bamar.

question: Have these cultures developed on there own over time ?
answers: text: Bamar culture has been influenced by the cultures of neighbouring countries

question: What type of effect did Theravada Buddhism.have on Bamar?
answers: text: The arts, particularly literature, have historically been influenced by the local form of Theravada Buddhism

question: What is the connection between an insect that has devotional following and Buddhism ?
answers: text: Buddhism is practised along with nat worship, which involves elaborate rituals to propitiate one from a pantheon of 37 nats.
context: A diverse range of indigenous cultures exist in Myanmar, the majority culture is primarily Buddhist and Bamar. Bamar culture has been influenced by the cultures of neighbouring countries. This is manifested in its language, cuisine, music, dance and theatre. The arts, particularly literature, have historically been influenced by the local form of Theravada Buddhism. Considered the national epic of Myanmar, the Yama Zatdaw, an adaptation of India's Ramayana, has been influenced greatly by Thai, Mon, and Indian versions of the play. Buddhism is practised along with nat worship, which involves elaborate rituals to propitiate one from a pantheon of 37 nats.

qas: question: Customarily where is the expected place in the lives of the people for the home of monks in Burma ?
answers: text: In a traditional village, the monastery is the centre of cultural life.

question: What event is exceedingly relevant for young males that involves monks in Burma ? 
answers: text: A novitiation ceremony called shinbyu

question: What do girls of the village get in comparison the the young male event ?
answers: text: Girls have ear-piercing ceremonies (နားသ) at the same time.

question: What is the biggest celebration held in local events in Burma ?
answers: text: the most important being the pagoda festival

question: What do many villages have that protects them in times of imminent or impending danger ?
answers: text: Many villages have a guardian nat
context: In a traditional village, the monastery is the centre of cultural life. Monks are venerated and supported by the lay people. A novitiation ceremony called shinbyu is the most important coming of age events for a boy, during which he enters the monastery for a short time. All male children in Buddhist families are encouraged to be a novice (beginner for Buddhism) before the age of twenty and to be a monk after the age of twenty. Girls have ear-piercing ceremonies (နားသ) at the same time. Burmese culture is most evident in villages where local festivals are held throughout the year, the most important being the pagoda festival. Many villages have a guardian nat, and superstition and taboos are commonplace.

qas: question: What evidence of previous rule is evident in the buildings in Burma ?
answers: text: Colonial architectural influences are most evident in major cities

question: What part of the Burmese population is considered not a part of the mainstream group?
answers: text: ethnic groups constitute 32%

question: Do opinions differ on the numbers for that population is considered not a part of the mainstream
answers: text: exiled leaders and organisations claims that ethnic population is 40%, which is implicitly contrasted with CIA report (official US report).

question: What is the name of the group that reported the information regarding the populace in Burma ?
answers: text: The World Factbook
context: British colonial rule introduced Western elements of culture to Burma. Burma's education system is modelled after that of the United Kingdom. Colonial architectural influences are most evident in major cities such as Yangon. Many ethnic minorities, particularly the Karen in the southeast and the Kachin and Chin who populate the north and northeast, practice Christianity. According to the The World Factbook, the Burman population is 68% and the ethnic groups constitute 32%. However, the exiled leaders and organisations claims that ethnic population is 40%, which is implicitly contrasted with CIA report (official US report).

qas: question: What is the time-honored dish served for the morning meal in Burma ?
answers: text: Mohinga is the traditional breakfast dish

question: What is most commonly enjoyed to eat along the coast of Myanmar ?
answers: text: Seafood is a common ingredient in coastal cities

question: Where is the most chicken enjoyed in Burma ?
answers: text: landlocked cities

question: What is considered as an alternative to tofu for the valuable ingredient it holds for those not living near water in BUrma?
answers: text: Freshwater fish and shrimp have been incorporated into inland cooking as a primary source of protein

question: What are popular ways that fish are used in Burma ?
answers: text: fresh, salted whole or filleted, salted and dried, made into a salty paste, or fermented sour and pressed.
context: Mohinga is the traditional breakfast dish and is Myanmar's national dish. Seafood is a common ingredient in coastal cities such as Sittwe, Kyaukpyu, Mawlamyaing (formerly Moulmein), Mergui (Myeik) and Dawei, while meat and poultry are more commonly used in landlocked cities like Mandalay. Freshwater fish and shrimp have been incorporated into inland cooking as a primary source of protein and are used in a variety of ways, fresh, salted whole or filleted, salted and dried, made into a salty paste, or fermented sour and pressed.

qas: question: What was the first motion picture about someone's life filmed in Myanmar ?
answers: text: Myanmar's first film was a documentary of the funeral of Tun Shein

question: Why was this film relevant enough to be the first ?
answers: text: Tun Shein — a leading politician of the 1910s, who campaigned for Burmese independence in London.

question: Before the advent of talking pictures, what was the name of the first movie in Myanmar and when was it 's debut ?
answers: text: first Burmese silent film Myitta Ne Thuya (Love and Liquor) in 1920

question: Following the end of the second World War, what was a still a popular theme among films makers in Burma ?
answers: text: After World War II, Burmese cinema continued to address political themes

question: Where any of the Burmese films ever used as an instrument to influence the people ?
answers: text: Many of the films produced in the early Cold War era had a strong propaganda element to them.
context: Myanmar's first film was a documentary of the funeral of Tun Shein — a leading politician of the 1910s, who campaigned for Burmese independence in London. The first Burmese silent film Myitta Ne Thuya (Love and Liquor) in 1920 which proved a major success, despite its poor quality due to a fixed camera position and inadequate film accessories. During the 1920s and 1930s, many Burmese-owned film companies made and produced several films. The first Burmese sound film was produced in 1932 in Bombay, India with the title Ngwe Pay Lo Ma Ya (Money Can't Buy It). After World War II, Burmese cinema continued to address political themes. Many of the films produced in the early Cold War era had a strong propaganda element to them.