ROMA baby Maria Francesca, who died from sudden infant death syndrome on December 26, will be buried tomorrow in the Paris suburb of Wissous after the mayor of her native Champlan refused her burial.

Champlan Mayor Christian Leclerc sparked outrage after he denied the baby girl a burial spot, claiming that graves should be reserved for “local taxpayers.”

The case has highlighted France’s brutal treatment of its Roma population. Maria Francesca’s parents, who have not wished their surname to be released, live at a camp in Champlan which lacks running water or electricity. They have resided in France for eight years.

“The parents told us this is racism. They were incredulous,” said Solidarity with Roma Families spokeswoman Marie-Helene Brelaud.

And the Communist Party (PCF) linked it to a growing wave of right-wing extremism in France, pointing to the recent furore in Angouleme, where Mayor Xavier Bonnefont installed cages around park benches on Christmas Eve in a bid to banish homeless people from the city.

PCF anti-racism and anti-discrimination commission head Fabienne Haloui said the “denial of burial is a morally unacceptable act.

“The ‘few places available’ is not an acceptable argument to deny the funeral of a baby where her family lives, as the mayor of Champlan does.”

As in Angouleme, “it is the poorest, the most rejected, the most discriminated against who are ‘outside the system’,” she warned. “The poor, the immigrant and the Roma become the perfect distraction from social anger.”

France’s Roma have faced increasing discrimination in recent years, with Socialist Party Prime Minister Manuel Valls publicly calling for the entire community to be deported — while Gilles Bourdouleix of Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP retains his Maine-et-Loire parliamentary seat 18 months on from saying that “Hitler maybe did not kill enough” Roma.

Wissous Mayor Richard Trinquier offered the family a burial in his nearby town, due to take place tomorrow.

“The pain of a mother who carried a child for nine months and lost her after just two-and-a-half months must not be worsened,” he said.

But Mr Leclerc was forced to backtrack today, saying council officials had misunderstood his instructions.