A nationwide strike by disaster relief personnel has brought compensation payments to victims of Cyclone Ditwah to a standstill, after thousands of frontline government officers withdrew from duty on February 27, citing unresolved administrative and operational issues. The industrial action involves Grama Niladharis, Disaster Relief Service Officers, and Technical Officers across Sri Lanka, halting all work related to assessing damage and distributing financial assistance to affected communities.
The decision was announced by Palitha Upul Kumara of the All Ceylon Disaster Relief Service Professional Association, who said officers would suspend their responsibilities connected to compensation payments until concerns raised by unions are addressed. According to Neville Wijeratne of the Sri Lanka Grama Niladharis National Association, approximately 16,000 government employees are participating in the action, effectively stopping all Ditwah-related operations.
The strike has been jointly organized by several public sector unions, including the All Ceylon Disaster Relief Service Officers’ Trade Union, the Sri Lanka United Grama Niladhari Association, the Sri Lanka Progressive Grama Niladhari Association, the All Ceylon Central Government Technical Association, and the Civil Servants’ Trade Union Association.
The withdrawal comes more than 93 days after Cyclone Ditwad created a disaster situation in several parts of the country, leaving many families awaiting state compensation to rebuild homes and restore livelihoods. Union representatives said officers assigned to implement the relief program have been working under severe pressure due to the absence of clear financial guidelines, conflicting instructions from authorities, and frequent changes to procedures within short periods.
In a joint statement, the associations cited multiple grievances, including the failure to issue proper circulars outlining financial discipline, the non-implementation of agreements reached during earlier discussions, delays in receiving allowances, lack of fuel provisions required for field duties, and the absence of necessary safety equipment for officers conducting site visits.
Palitha Upul Kumara said the unions were not opposed to distributing compensation to victims, noting that payments of 500,000 rupees had been proposed for affected families. However, he stated that the current system had placed Grama Niladharis and disaster relief officers at risk by requiring them to carry out duties without adequate administrative support or resources.
The impact of the strike is particularly significant in the seven Divisional Secretariat divisions of Polonnaruwa District, where Cyclone Ditwah caused extensive damage and where compensation assessments and disbursements were ongoing. With officers now withdrawing from those tasks, verification processes, documentation, and payments have been suspended indefinitely.
Union leaders said the decision to withdraw from duties was finalized during a meeting held on February 23, where trade unions discussed what they described as a chaotic situation in the compensation process and decisions to withhold allowances previously granted to officers involved in relief work.
Authorities have yet to announce alternative arrangements to continue compensation distribution during the strike, leaving affected residents uncertain about when payments will resume. The situation has effectively stalled one of the central recovery measures introduced after the cyclone, as administrative personnel responsible for implementing the program remain off duty pending further discussions.
