WRAPUP 8-Myanmar's neighbours press junta for Suu Kyi's release, restoration of democracy

* Some neighbours urge release of Suu Kyi
* Singapore PM says lethal force is disastrous
* Police break up protests in Yangon and Kale
* Anti-coup groups say ASEAN legitimising junta with meeting
* Six journalists among those arrested in Yangon - lawyer

March 2 (Reuters) - Some of Myanmar's neighbours pressed its
ruling junta on Tuesday to release ousted leader Aung San Suu
Kyi and cease using lethal force against opponents of their Feb.
1 coup to work out a solution to the crisis.
The calls from fellow members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) came as Myanmar police again
opened fire to disperse crowds after weeks of demonstrations
against military rule. Several people were wounded, witnesses
said.
ASEAN foreign ministers held talks with a representative of
the junta in a video call two days after the bloodiest day of
unrest since the military overthrew Suu Kyi's elected
government.
At least 21 people have been killed since the coup, which
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in an interview
with the BBC was a "tragic" step back for Myanmar.
The foreign minister of Indonesia, which has been pushing a
regional diplomatic effort, urged Myanmar to "open its doors" to
the ASEAN bloc to resolve the escalating tension, but said there
was little it could do if it did not.
Retno Marsudi, called for the release of political detainees
and for the restoration of democracy, while pledging that ASEAN
countries would not break their pledge of not interfering in
each other's affairs.
"Restoring democracy back on track must be pursued," Retno
said. "Indonesia underlines that the will, the interest and the
voices of the people of Myanmar must be respected."
The foreign ministers of Malaysia and the Philippines also
called for the release of Suu Kyi.
But some countries were less emphatic and a statement from
the group said "all parties" should refrain from instigating
violence and that ASEAN stood ready to help.
ASEAN groups Myanmar, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia,
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.
The bloc's effort to engage with Myanmar's military has been
criticised by supporters of democracy, with a committee of
ousted Myanmar lawmakers declaring the junta a terrorist group
and saying ASEAN's engagement would give it legitimacy.
Sa Sa, a senior member of the committee who has been
anointed as its representative to the United Nations, said ASEAN
should have no dealings with "this illegitimate military-led
regime".
Myanmar's own representative to the United Nations denounced
the coup last week and after the junta announced he had been
fired, he staked a formal claim as the legitimate
representative, according to letters seen by Reuters.
The coup halted Myanmar's tentative steps towards democracy
after nearly 50 years of military rule and has drawn
condemnation and sanctions from the United States and other
Western countries.
Singapore's Lee said sanctions would not affect the junta
but hurt the people and the way forward was to free Suu Kyi and
work out a solution - describing the takeover as "an enormous
tragic step back".
"To use lethal force against civilians and unarmed
demonstrators, I think it is just not acceptable. That is
disastrous not just internationally, but disastrous
domestically," said.
Hundreds of protesters, many wearing hard hats and clutching
makeshift shields, gathered earlier behind barricades in
different parts of Myanmar's main city of Yangon to chant
slogans before police moved in firing stun grenades.
There were no reports of injuries in Yangon but four people
were wounded in the northwestern town of Kale, where police
fired live ammunition to disperse a crowd after protesters threw
objects at advancing police, witnesses said.
State television MRTV later said security forces used stun
grenades, rubber bullets and other non-lethal measures.
"They were acting like they were in a war zone," a teacher
at the protest who declined to be identified said of the police.
MRTV said that crowds were being instigated through social
media by illegal organisations and causing instability. It said
12 "riotous protesters" had been detained in Yangon.
After the use of force by security forces on the streets,
people protested from their balconies after dark across Yangon,
chanting "the revolution must succeed" and calls for Suu Kyi's
health.
The military justified the coup saying its complaints of
fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi's party were
ignored. The election commission said the vote was fair.
Junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has pledged to
hold new elections and hand power to the winner but has given no
time frame.
Suu Kyi, 75, appeared at a court hearing via video
conferencing on Monday and looked in good health, one of her
lawyers said. Two more charges were added to those filed against
her after the coup, the lawyer said.
More than 1,100 people have been detained, according to
activists, among them six journalists in Yangon, one of whom
works for the Associated Press, which has called for his
release.

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