The capital of Indonesia’s Aceh province issued a ban on its residents celebrating New Year's Eve, local media reported today.

Aceh is the only province in Indonesia that enforces Islamic law, which was a condition of a 2005 peace deal with the central government to end a decades-long separatist conflict.

“It is forbidden for Muslims to celebrate the Christian New Year,” Banda Aceh deputy mayor Zainal Arifin was quoted as saying by news website Tempo.co

He added that Muslims in Aceh should only celebrate the Muslim New Year, which is calculated by the lunar calendar.

He claimed that any festivities on Thursday normally held during New Year, such as fireworks or blowing trumpets or even mass prayer, do not comply with the province’s Muslim culture.

The Banda Aceh authorities also banned Muslims from participating in last week’s Christmas celebrations.

A similar ban was also enforced last year in the staunchly Islamic province.

- dpa