A 15-year-old boy, Aziz Passayanavin, died by suicide on September 6 after enduring relentless bullying, according to community representatives. His death has prompted a prominent Muslim undertaker to call for greater parental and community intervention to combat the growing problem of bullying.
Ahmad Hraichie, an undertaker who assisted Aziz's family with funeral arrangements, described the profound grief of losing a child. "When a 15-year-old sees life as not worth living anymore, then we really have a problem in our community and society. What is going on?" Hraichie stated.
Hraichie revealed he had also helped lay to rest a 12-year-old girl who allegedly died following bullying only days before Aziz's death. "Two deaths in one week just in our community? Now, in 30 years of doing funerals, I've never seen that," he remarked.
He urged those engaging in bullying to cease their actions. "Stop humiliating people. Stop preying on the weak and vulnerable. Stop destroying another human being just to make yourself feel powerful," Hraichie advised. He stressed that differences such as weight, autism, or quietness do not justify torment, stating, "They do not need to change to deserve dignity - you need to change your behaviour."
Hraichie also emphasized the role of parents in addressing bullying, suggesting that some parents who permit such behavior are part of the problem. He encouraged parents to actively check in on their children, acknowledging that "kids, they hide things, they want to be accepted. The peer pressure, all of that, plays a part in their upbringing."
Aziz Passayanavin was buried on Wednesday in western Sydney, in accordance with Islamic tradition, after his body was released from the coroner's office. The community is grappling with the loss and the underlying issues highlighted by these tragedies.