49. Suni as the trainer of Telefomin interpreters

Paul Quinlivan’s Snapshots

What I am about to quote is actually the passage, in my Letter Recommending Awards and Decorations, headed Tinkukuniming, uncle of Sinoksep, the interpreter trained by Suni. I do, however, believe that Tinkukuniming did what he did because of Suni’s teaching that he had discovered that the Rule of Law must be respected at all times –

Tinkukuniming, with some of his co-villagers, publicly gave active assistance throughout the entire attack (on Patrol Officer Harris’ party) first making stretchers and carrying Harris on his abortive attempt to escape back to the station and then later carrying Harris and Police Constable Kombo to their various places of refuge and shouting warnings as to the nature and direction of the attacks taking place. This assistance was loyally given despite vilification and threats that they would be killed, and at a time when there was not the slightest reason for believing that the Telefomins would not be triumphant and would thus be able to carry out with impunity the threats they made with the obvious intention of later fulfilling.