Just got a response from EK on my "involuntary downgrade":
"Dear Mr. Whimike,
Thank you for your email of 15 March.
I regret the inconvenience you experienced due to being downgraded from First class to Business class on flight EK651 from Colombo to Dubai.
As advised in our email of 14 Marchm the downgrade was due to operational requirements.
Regrettably, I am unable to offer you any form of service recovery for this downgrade.
As a valued Gold Skywards member, we look forward to welcoming you on board our flights again.
Yours sincerely,
Customer Affairs"
So, basically, if you pay for a First Class ticket, and they involuntarily downgrade you to Business Class, you are owed nothing, and to top it off you are given fewer miles.