 The Kurdistan Workers' Party is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, the European Union, Australia and Japan.The PKK was founded in November 1978 in the village of Fis (near Lice), by a group of Kurdish students led by Abdullah Öcalan.Öcalan was elected the General Secretary and Hayri Durmuş, Kemal Pir, Cemîl Bayik, Kesire Yildirim, Mazlum Doĝan, Mehmet Karasungur and Şahin Dönmez were part of the Central Committee.