The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) unites the three main political independence movements seeking independence for Western New Guinea (West Papua) from Indonesia under a single umbrella organisation. The ULMWP was formed on 7 December 2014 in Vanuatu uniting the Federal Republic of West Papua (NRFPB), the West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) and the National Parliament of West Papua (NPWP). History In October 2013, the West Papua National Council for Liberation made an unsuccessful application to join the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). Indonesia had earlier been granted observer status in 2011 for Papua (province) and West Papua (province). The MSG advised that West Papua independence organisations must first unite for any future applications to be considered. In December 2014, all West Papuan independence movement groups united under a single umbrella organisation, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua in Vanuatu. In February 2015, Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa according to Benny Wenda, stated he was shocked that West Papua is still not free. In 2004, the Bishop had asked the UN to review the Act of Free Choice. In June 2015, the ULMWP was granted MSG observer status as representative of West Papuans outside the country while Indonesia was upgraded to associate member. In September 2016, at the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly, the Prime Ministers of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Presidents of Nauru and Marshall Islands, called for UN action on alleged human rights abuses committed on West Papua's indigenous Melanesians. The Solomon Islands stated that human rights abuses were linked to the pursuit for independence, and Tuvalu raised autonomy. Indonesia responded that the allegations were false and fabricated. The Solomon Islands said that Indonesia should give UN special rapporteurs access to West Papua to prove allegations were false. In October, the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination initiated an early warning and urgent action procedure, and requested Indonesia to formally respond to allegations of racial violence by mid-November, where Indonesia never responded to the UN hearing. In March 2017, at the 34th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, Vanuatu made a joint statement on behalf of Tonga, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands raising human rights abuses and requested that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights produce a report. Indonesia replied that it rejected Vanuatu's allegations. Also, a joint NGO