A/HRC/25/56/Add.1 86. The customary leadership structures and practices of minority and indigenous communities, including in the appointment of chiefs and the resolution of communitybased disputes, should be fully respected and allowed to function according to traditional practices with no undue interference by other communities, individuals or the State. Where a complaint is made that there has been undue interference or disputes exist, an independent review should be conducted with the full participation of the parties and community members concerned, both men and women. 87. Mbororo pastoralists are facing pressure to settle as well as loss of access to traditional lands. In addition to measures to protect their rights to land and water and to urgently resolve ongoing land disputes, initiatives should be continued and intensified to ensure their access to basic services, education and health care appropriate to their needs, culture and traditions and, where necessary, their nomadic lifestyle. The draft pastoral code provides essential guarantees for pastoralist communities, and should be adopted into law. 88. The Pygmies are the guardians of the forest, in which they have always lived in harmony. The Government should respect the rights of Pygmy communities to continue to live in their traditional forest habitats and to have full access to the forests and their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyles wherever possible, and find solutions, in consultation with communities, to enable them to do so. 89. Where displacement of Pygmy communities has taken place or is unavoidable following full review of available options, communities should be consulted fully regarding relocation, with priority given to options allowing them to continue their traditional forest-based lifestyle. Communities should be fully supported in the short, medium and long term to ensure their access to services, food security, their safety and secure, non-exploitative interaction with neighbouring communities, and their access to income-generating activities. Compensation for their displacement must be appropriate to their situation, culture and traditions. 90. Essential research is required on Montagnard communities and the regions in which they live, to build a comprehensive picture of their numbers, geographical location, socioeconomic conditions relative to other communities, the minority and other human rights issues that they face, and their needs as individuals, families and communities. On the basis of such research, targeted interventions should be made, in close consultation with communities, in order to urgently improve their situations and enjoyment of their rights. 91. The protection of the right to freedom of religion and belief and of the rights of religious minorities to freely practice their faith must extend to all faith and belief groups, and not be unduly restricted. Registration processes, where required, to grant authorization to function should be non-discriminatory, and clear criteria and time frames should be established and respected in practice. No undue delays or restrictive criteria should be imposed and, where authorization is not granted, clear reasons should be stated and appeals permitted. 92. Individuals or groups suspected of having committed crimes in the context of their faith or belief-based activities should be prosecuted pursuant to national law and in compliance with international standards of fair trial. Faith communities conducting legitimate faith-based activities, including assembling for worship and proselytizing, should not face undue restrictions on those activities, be closed or otherwise punished without due recourse to the law and judicial process. 93. In the specific cases of the Pentecostal churches closed in 2013, an investigation of such closures should be urgently conducted. Where no justifiable legal grounds for their closure are found, the churches should be allowed to reopen and resume their 21