Compiling Python 2.1.1 without 16-bit integer type

[Konrad Hinsen]

I am trying to install Python 2.1.1 on a Cray T3E, whose C compiler
doesn't have a 16-bit integer type (char is 1 byte, short is 4,
everything else is 8). Compilation then stops with the message:

Fatal Python error: Unicode configuration error: sizeof(Py_UNICODE) !=
2 bytes

I don't need Unicode support on the Cray, but can I disable it? If
not, could I use a two-byte structure to represent wide characters?
Any other suggestions?

Konrad.