Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Dutch Caribbean

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:{{la|1=Dutch Caribbean}} – (View AfDView log | edits since nomination)

:({{Find sources AFD|title=Dutch Caribbean}})

I propose that this article be deleted in its entirety for the following reasons:

1. No legal or political entity called “Dutch Caribbean” exists.

The term is an informal geographic expression with no basis in international or Kingdom law. There is no official governing body or jurisdiction under this name.

2. Misrepresents the constitutional reality of the six territories.

Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten are autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba are special municipalities of the Netherlands. These islands do not share a government, constitution, or legal framework.

3. Violates Wikipedia’s policies on neutrality and verifiability.

The article presents “Dutch Caribbean” as if it were a real entity, but provides no legal sources or primary references to support that framing. This misleads readers and contradicts Wikipedia’s standards.

4. The article has real-world consequences.

It undermines the recognition of Curaçao and other countries as independent legal entities, causing confusion in international systems and reinforcing outdated colonial narratives.

5. The term should not be used at all.

The article is built on a false premise. “Dutch Caribbean” inaccurately groups legally distinct and autonomous countries with Dutch special municipalities, creating a misleading political narrative. The term should not appear in relation to these islands at all — not even in passing — as it distorts their individual identities and legal status.

Conclusion:

This article promotes a non-existent political entity and should be deleted in accordance with Wikipedia’s core content policies. Neutralwikifixer (talk) 11:35, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

• Automated comment: This AfD was not correctly transcluded to the log (step 3). I have transcluded it to Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Log/2025 April 15. —^{cyberbot I}_{Talk to my owner:Online} 11:35, 15 April 2025 (UTC)
• Keep as sourcing does indeed exist, but please don't use AI/LLMs to craft deletion reasons. — E_F⁵ 13:32, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

:Keep. None of the points made here support deleting a 14-year-old page:

:1. "Dutch Caribbean" may not be a single legal entity, but it's a notable and widely used geographic and cultural term. WP routinely covers non-political groupings (e.g. Balkans, Scandinavia), and the article clarifies the components' distinct statuses.

:2. It accurately details the differing constitutional realities, clearly distinguishing between the autonomous constituent countries and the special municipalities of the Netherlands. I don't see a misrepresentation here.

:3. It looks well-sourced and neutrally presents the concept by explicitly explaining the distinct legal statuses of the islands; nowhere is it implied that the region is a unified political body.

:4. It clearly explains the distinct statuses. Concerns about reinforcing narratives are subjective; the article primarily documents the factual situation.

:5. The term "Dutch Caribbean" is common and notable; you haven't presented any evidence that it creates a "misleading political narrative". — Arcaist ^{(contr—talk)} 13:37, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

• Procedural keep Nominator failed to state their rationale in their own words and this is a common grouping and description for the territories The Netherlands has in the Caribbean. Any LLM responses like above will be ignored, and I have additional concerns about the nominator's name here as someone trying to right great wrongs that simply do not exist, not even getting into how this was their first edit, so this is likely someone who has been here before. Nathannah • 📮 14:07, 15 April 2025 (UTC)
• Procedural Keep: If you're going to nominate an article for deletion, at least do it in your own words instead of getting ChatGPT to do it for you. Also strange how this nomination was the user's first edit. Schützenpanzer (Talk) 15:05, 15 April 2025 (UTC)
• Note: This discussion has been included in the deletion sorting lists for the following topics: Geography, Netherlands, and Caribbean. Spiderone^{(Talk to Spider)} 15:15, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

{{clear}}

:The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.