INTERVIEW - Ugandan police used "unwarranted" violence in riots

By Njuwa Maina

KAMPALA (Reuters) - The response by Ugandan police to rioting in the capital Kampala last week was "completely unwarranted", an influential rights group said.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said it had received reports of police going house-to-house and removing people from their homes, and witnessed truckloads of unarmed men being beaten.

"We have been very concerned about police brutality, the police response, the use of live ammunition, for example, in situations which didn't warrant it (and) severe beatings of men who were not armed," HRW research Maria Burnett told Reuters.

Violence broke out in Kampala on Thursday, triggered by land and power disputes between the government and leaders of Buganda -- one of the east African country's four ancient kingdoms.

At least 14 people, including a member of the security forces, died and scores were injured in three days of clashes in the centre and outlying districts. Kampala was quiet on Sunday.

Police chief Kale Kayihura told reporters on Saturday the security forces had arrested 550 suspects during the unrest. He also said some officers had overreacted after coming under attack early on Saturday in some districts of the capital.

"The thugs pelted the officers with stones and other missiles, and some officers, apparently, overreacted by opening fire in a bid to disperse the criminal gangs," he said.