The Tigrayans seemingly accepted and adapted quite quickly to the new war situation and the radical constraints it implied. People continued to support the TPLF in words, by joining the military, by participating in rallies in support of the war, and with voluntary contributions in money or kind to the war-front. The whole population condemned the Eritrean invasion and apparently accepted the shift of perception of Eritrea from friend and ally to enemy and alien. If we delve beneath the public discourse, the official rhetoric and everyday poetics, however, a different picture emerges. At an individual level people acted and reacted differently to the new war situation: some were supportive of the war, others negative; some determined, others reluctant; some willingly contributing, others rejecting; some volunteering recruitment, others escaping the draft; some admiring and loyal to the political leadership, others antagonistic and treacherous. These different and contradictory positions also influenced the perception of ‘who is the enemy?’ in the eyes of individual Tigrayans. Yesterday's liberators become today's suppressors; friends and kin who once were considered to be unshakeably like-minded change their views and positions on vital matters; last year's brother-in-arms is the current enemy; today's confidants become next week's informers.