MR JOHN HUME has again insisted that the alternative to supporting the SDLP in the North's crucial marginal constituencies is to vote for unionist "sectarianism" or republican "violence".
The party's deputy leader, Mr Seamus Mallon, said that those who believed that the main battle in the marginals of West Belfast, Mid-Ulster and West Tyrone was between unionists and Sinn Fein should "hold their bets".
Mr Hume and Mr Mallon, who were addressing the party's final election press conference, called on nationalists to support the SDLP in order to strengthen hopes of a peaceful political resolution to the Northern conflict.
The press conference was told that the prevailing view among nationalists was that peaceful, non-sectarian politics was the only way forward.
Mr Hume added. "We believe our four MPs will retain their seats and that we will score major gains in West Tyrone and Mid-Ulster.
He said that people did not want the talks process or the opportunity for peace to be abused. "People can see through the inconsistency of people talking peace but justifying violence and the hypocrisy of unionists preaching constitutionalism while engaging in Drumcree."
Mr Hume pointed out that when the Westminster elections and the local elections of May 21st were over there would be no further elections in the North until 1999, which would give politicians greater freedom to manoeuvre and negotiate.
He continued. "Let us use this period of change to make progress towards the agreement which to date has eluded us. Let us stop the prevaricating, the excuses, the lies. Let us take the trust the electorate will place on us on Thursday and use it to make a historic step."
Mr Mallon said that nationalists would not provide republicans with a "blank cheque" to continue their violence. He found it "astonishing" that Sinn Fein was using advertisements featuring photographs of Mr Gerry Adams and Mr John Hume together.
"I thank them very sincerely for the compliment they have given to John Hume's towering leadership and to our party. But when you have got to the stage where you have to involve yourself in political body snatching then there is something wrong with your own political policies and your own campaign.
"I believe there is something wrong and I have no doubt that this election is going to define once and for all the lasting role of the SDLP in the political life of this island, North and South."
Referring to the battle for votes between the SDLP and Sinn Fein, Mr Mallon said that the choice was between those who supported violence and those who had been trying to make peace for the past 27 years. He added. "That mood for peace is substantially strong in Mid-Ulster, West Tyrone and West Belfast and the other constituencies."
Mr Mallon predicted that the SDLP would confound some forecasts that Sinn Fein would gain more votes than the SDLP in the marginal constituencies. He said that anyone considering "waging a shilling" against the chances of Dr Joe Hendron in West Belfast, Mr Denis Haughey in Mid-Ulster and Mr Joe Byrne in West Tyrone should be "careful".
He added. "Some people went into this election with the assumption that the SDLP was somehow wimpish and that when the battle got tough it would be swept aside. There are no wimps in the SDLP. We have put up the toughest battle any political party has ever put up . . . The results will be there to be seen on Friday."
