Soon there after government notices were distributed to the few Island inhabitants about the plans to relocate them to the other side of the Island because the land rights where they lived were sold. Many inhabitants protested this arguing they lived there so many years and never were allowed the option to buy the land themselves. Eventually after pleading their cases unsuccessfully, the military arrived and without exception destroyed the Homes and Huts on lands claimed by the Ministers and entourage of businessmen. In return for moving the officials promised to increase their standard of living by promoting rich tourism, in the name of Eco tourism This did not convince all the residents, but did ignite a migration of residence from mainland Lombok. The military returned three times from August 1992 to May 1993, destroying all houses in the forbidden area, forcibly relocating those residents to the south west portion of the Island where 80 % of the Coral Reef had already been damaged from dynamite fishing. Some residents were still defiant until the end as 'Good Heart' owners, the first settlers to provide shelter and food for foreign traveler. Actually the perfect model Eco tourism before the intimidation.

Currently the Islands Infrastructure is overpopulated, polluted, the Coral Gardens are 90% destroyed, and the hotel project has become the Expensive Bungalow Resort (currently without a golf course!).