Politicians censure Roma burial ban

The tragic case of a dead Roma baby refused burial in a Paris suburb has underscored the plight of the community in France, where supporters say they are a scapegoat for the country's ills.

The affair made headlines around the world, and was all the more poignant because the baby of just two and a half months died the day after Christmas from sudden infant death syndrome.

The local town of Champlan, just south of Paris, refused the family a burial plot, with the mayor reportedly saying that priority should be given to those who pay their taxes - although he later denied this.