A/HRC/25/56/Add.1 a major source of conflict. If adopted,23 the code would open corridors for cattle grazing, facilitate access to water sources, and outline procedures for the establishment and management of community pastures. While civil society groups consider the code a very positive development, they point out that it still does not affirm the collective customary ownership rights of the Mbororo over lands they have been using for generations or address the issue of grazing lands being “national lands” under the current land laws. 54. The Mbororo are subject to a long-standing tax on their livestock (cattle and horses) that they consider to be discriminatory. The Jangali tax is reportedly levied – above and beyond regular purchase and sales taxes for livestock – on all livestock, even animals kept for subsistence or cultural reasons and not purely for economic profit. The tax, which is reportedly levied annually on each animal, disproportionately affects the Mbororo because of their strong cultural and everyday association with livestock. 55. Mbororo communities in the far North reported cases of violence and kidnapping by armed bandits or coupeurs de route, a phenomenon that has reportedly increased significantly in recent years. Armed persons steal cattle or kidnap family members who are held hostage for ransom. The perpetrators are aware that families have livestock, which they can sell to pay ransom demands, although this may impoverish the herders’ families. Local authorities in Maroua stated that a special police rapid intervention force (BIR) was established in 2011 to prevent armed robbery and kidnapping, and that the situation had improved. 56. In Bamenda, Mbororo representatives acknowledged the progress made in the 2013 council elections, in which 48 Mbororo councillors had been elected, reflecting a significant increase. The Mbororo attributed the increase to, inter alia, awareness-raising initiatives on minority indigenous, civil and political rights by non-governmental organizations and efforts by political parties to gain the Mbororo vote. While the number of councillors was the highest in more than a century, the representatives pointed out that there had never been a Mbororo Member of Parliament, and that much remained to be done at the regional and national levels to achieve appropriate representation. The Mbororo now account for 4.8 per cent of councillors in the region; according to ILO, however, the Mbororo number some 130,000, or 7 per cent of the total regional population.24 While four of the councillors are women, targeted efforts are needed to increase female representation. VII. Situation of Montagnard communities 57. The Independent Expert was informed by civil society groups about the challenges faced by Montagnard communities. The exact number of Montagnards (also known as Highlanders or Kirdi) which comprise various ethnic groups, is not known. The Government estimates that there are some 82,000, while non-governmental sources suggest that they number more than 400,000 in the Mandara Mountains area in the Far North. The Montagnards reportedly endure particular challenges owing to their cultural and social marginalization, their economic situation and high incidence of poverty, and their underrepresentation in political, decision-making and administrative bodies. 58. The Independent Exert was concerned at the lack of detailed information relating to Montagnard communities. According to civil society actors, this lack of data has resulted in 23 24 According to the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, the code was validated in December 2012 and forwarded to the Head of Government for submission to Parliament. See www.iwgia.org/images/stories/sections/regions/africa/documents/2013/Cameroon.pdf. See www.ilo.org/indigenous/Activitiesbyregion/Africa/Cameroon/lang--en/index.htm. 15