Army to farmers: Mugabe must win

HARARE, Zimbabwe, May 23 (UPI) -- An army officer warned white farmers in Zimbabwe that the country will be torn by war if Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is ousted.

Farmers were told to be sure that everyone working on their property votes for Mugabe and against Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, The Daily Telegraph reports. The officer, a lieutenant colonel, was accompanied by three officials with Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, and five farmers were summoned to the meeting.

"I do not accept failure, and Mugabe has to win," the officer told the group. "If he doesn't win we will go back to war. Tsvangirai and the MDC will never rule Zimbabwe. If there is one MDC vote on your farm, there will be war."

Officials vote totals indicate Tsvangirai received more votes than Mugabe in the election at the end of March but failed to win the 50 percent majority required to win, forcing a runoff. The MDC says that the count was rigged to deny Tsvangirai the victory.

One farmer said that the army has been in control of attacks on MDC supporters and the recent eviction of a white farmer.

''I imagine that will happen to all of us, as at least my wife and I are going to vote for Tsvangirai on our farm on June 27," he told The Telegraph.