Shooting an Elephant

To the Burmese Orwell was an enemy. To them he represented an opposing military force (the British) ; he was an 'armed adversary'. he was also a 'foe' ; a personal enemy because of all that he represented. He was a white man and hence stood for everything that was against them.
Similarly, to the writer, the Burmese could also be seen as enemies as they were a 'group of hostile people'. each of them waiting for his downfall.